Intruder flees as resident grabs hunting rifle
No shots fired, criminal behind bars

Originally published here as:
"Police nab home invader"
Friday, March 30, 2001
The Edmond Sun

A University of Central Oklahoma student was arrested early Thursday after attempting to break into an east Edmond home.

Matthew Charles Pelter, 19, was confronted by Albert and Carol Bird, after an alarm activated in their Bridlewood Farms home.

When Pelter was arrested a short time later at a nearby residence, he had two loaded guns, 35 grams of methamphetamine, a small quality of marijuana, and various drug paraphernalia.

The home invasion occurred at the Bird home, located in the 6000 block of Saddle Road.

"We were face-to-face with him, said Albert Bird, 70. "I told him to get out of my house."

Bird said he and his wife were in bed when the alarm went off. After he told Pelter to leave his home, Bird went to get his personal rifle, according to police reports.

When Bird came back, the intruder had fled through the front door to the suspect's car, a 1982 Lincoln Towncar.

About a quarter mile down the road, police officers Bill Gilbert and C.J. Wise arrested Pelter. They found a loaded .40 caliber Taurus semi-automatic handgun laying on the front seat of the Lincoln. A loaded .45 caliber semi-automatic was later found in the trunk, the report stated.

"The good Lord was with us," Albert said, after learning Pelter had been armed.

Pelter listed his home as Cherokee, Okla. He remained this morning in the Oklahoma County jail.

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