Hero Gold Coast home owner has used a baseball bat against a car thief intruder in Parkwood

A brave father has defended his family against a burglar, chasing the man down the street with a baseball bat, damaging his car in the process. HIS HARROWING TALE

A Parkwood father has recounted using a baseball bat to fight off a burglar who barged into his home as young daughters slept.

Home owner Luke Clarke, 40, “thought he was going to get shot” by the intruder who “helped himself” into his home at 11pm on Monday night.

“It’s just creepy, he could have been in the girl’s room.”

Luke Clarke with daughters Lara-Lee Clarke and Ellyssa Clarke. Picture: Richard Gosling

Mr Clarke was sleeping in his suburban home with his wife and two young kids – 16-month-old Ellyssa and two-and-a-half-year-old Lara-Lee Clarke – when the intruder entered the side door into his kitchen.

His friend (Kyle) was watching television when he saw the man and yelled out.

Mr Clarke: “He had his hands in the pockets of his jumper pointing something at me.

“I didn’t know whether he had a weapon so I was being a bit hesitant.”

The man was standing next to a cage with their three French bulldogs when one of the pups got out and was near his feet.

“If he hurts this dog or tries to pick it up I’m going to attack him,” he recalled thinking.

“I was trying to get (burglar) out and (the dog) in.

“Get the f*** out,” Mr Clarke repeatedly yelled to the man – backing the intruder out of his house, slamming and locking the side door behind.

The invader then came around to the front door and “ripped the screen door off its hinge”, attempting to re-enter the Woodstock Court, Parkwood home.

“He stuck his hand through the screen to try and open the door,” he said.

Mr Clarke locked the wooden door between them, yelling, “F*** off mate, cops are coming”.

“I was a bit scared too, but I was keeping a distance from him until he tried taking the car.”

Mr Clarke “thought he was trying to hotwire” it until he realised the burglar had “nicked” his keys.

Mr Clarke said he was full of adrenaline and ordered Kyle to “get me a weapon”.

Mr Clarke then ran down his driveway with no shoes on, holding a baseball bat.

Picture: Richard Gosling

“I ended up smashing the driver’s window and windscreen of my own car up trying to get him. I couldn’t get a hit on him.

“He was acting pretty cowardly,” he said.

The man screeched off in the stolen vehicle, running over Mr Clarke’s foot.

His daughters slept through it – and Mr Clarke returned from hospital at 6am on Tuesday with a strap boot and bandages for his foot’s ripped skin.

Residents in Woodstock Court heard banging, screaming, and a car screeching off.

A neighbour heard “scuffling” in their bush around 11:30 pm and then shortly after heard screaming.

“We didn’t come out because we were scared.”

Mr Clarke was talking with police last night.

Queensland Police Service detectives have appealed for public assistance to track down the thief.

Fingerprint powder left on the door. Picture: Richard Gosling

“The occupant armed himself with a baseball bat and attempted to stop the man driving off,” a police statement read.

“Following a short struggle, the occupant struck his vehicle with the bat, causing the driver’s side mirror to fall off and the windscreen to break.

The thief was described by police as Pacific Islander in appearance with a solid build, wearing a navy blue cap and a surgical mask.

Police can also be contacted anonymously regarding the man’s identity.

The stolen vehicle, a black 2007 Holden Captiva station wagon, was found abandoned at Chichester Drive, Arundel just before 1 am on Tuesday.

Know more? Phone Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Originally published as Hero Gold Coast home owner has used a baseball bat against a car thief intruder in Parkwood