Florida man fights off armed robbers with machete

SARASOTA, Fla. — A Florida man was able to fend off armed robbers with a machete, and the entire altercation was caught on camera, according to authorities.

The surveillance footage, posted online by the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office, appears to show five men, one of them armed with a rifle, entering a Sarasota home early Thursday morning.

As the men enter the porch around 4:45 a.m., armed with the gun, a machete and a crowbar, the homeowner jumps out of a patio chair he was sitting in, grabs the chair and flings it at the group, who are off camera.

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The homeowner then grabs a piece of wood and swings it at the armed suspect, who has his gun drawn. However, the homeowner is then forced back into his house. Despite the suspect still pointing his gun, the homeowner comes back out with a machete and runs the would-be robbers off.

Authorities said four of the men escape to a vehicle that was spotted a short time later at a nearby by gas station, while one was held at the scene by the homeowner until authorities arrived.

All five men were arrested and are being held in Sarasota County Jail without bond.
Alen Beltran-Vazquez is charged with two counts of armed robbery and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, while Ronier Jauregui-Lorente and Angel Cabrera-Basulto are both charged with two counts of armed robbery.

Jorge Valido-Leyva and Roberto Salcedo-Balanza are charged with two counts each of principal to armed robbery.

Cox Media Group