Victim knocks out burglar

In a twist of fate, Historic City News learned that when a burglar confronted the owner of the van he was looting early Sunday morning, he should have never thrown a punch — by the time Sheriff’s deputies arrived at the scene, they found the burglar unconscious on the lawn.

A Prager Place resident in Palm Coast interrupted the burglar identified as Robert Thomas Combs, 22, of Prattwood Lane, Palm Coast. After he came-to, Combs was arrested and charged with burglary, trespass, violation of probation and possession of less than 20 grams of marijuana.

Deputies said that around 1:58 a.m. Sunday, Combs rode a bicycle to the victim’s home, unplugged their outdoor Christmas lights and plugged in his cell phone to charge the battery. While waiting for his phone to charge, he went into the victim’s unlocked van and took several cigarette lighters, a cell phone charger, prescription pills and a cell phone case. Deputies found a mask inside the hood of his sweatshirt.

The victim said that as he pulled his car into the driveway, he saw Combs inside the van and asked him what he was doing. Combs swung at him and the confrontation began. When deputies arrived, they found the victim and another person holding Combs down on the ground.

“This was a unique situation where the victim encountered the suspect. We are fortunate there was no one seriously injured,” said Sheriff Donald W. Fleming.

Combs has also been charged with burglary, violation of probation, fraudulent use of a credit card and petit theft in connection with another car break-in that occurred Saturday in Palm Coast.

Combs was being held in the Flagler County Inmate Facility on $11,000 bond on the charges. He is being held without bond on the two counts of violation of probation.