West Prince trucker chases intruders from his home

A trucker in West Prince says he woke up early Friday morning to find three people breaking into his home. 

Corey Palmer, 25, told CBC News he was asleep in bed when he heard the sound of glass breaking at about 3 a.m. Spotty cell-phone service and confusion over who to call compounded the experience, according to Palmer.

"At first I thought it was a break-in at the neighbour's," said Palmer, who moved to the Island in February and bought the house in Pleasant View where he lives. "I looked out the window and saw a car on the road and three guys coming up to my lane ... then I saw flashlights on my kitchen wall."

'Tire thumper' had desired effect

Palmer says he grabbed a trucker's tool — a "tire thumper" — to protect himself and confronted three people in hoodies.

"I'm like, 'If they're going to hurt me, I'm going to go out swinging', so I went running down the hallway and I said 'Who are you? I'm going to kill you,'" said Palmer.

Palmer's bravado, and the wood-and-steel tire thumper, had the desired effect.

"They booked it outside. They ran to their car and turned around and headed towards Tignish," he said.

Unsure who to call

During the excitement, Palmer says he was unsure who to call. At first he didn't think it was a full-blown emergency and therefore unworthy of a 911 call. So he called the mom of a buddy instead. That's when his cell phone decided to cut out.

"So that was upsetting," said Martina Smith, who took Palmer's early morning call at her home in Alberton.

Smith said she was trying to Google the West Prince RCMP non-emergency number when she lost Palmer's call.

"I feel bad for him, but I'm proud that he stood his ground and was able to do what he needed to do which was call 911," said Smith. "He's like a pseudo-son."

I'm not going to let them ruin what I've got here- Corey Palmer

Palmer's mother passed away a couple of years ago. He decided to buy a home on P.E.I. after visiting Smith and her family at their home in West Prince. They too had moved to West Prince from Ontario, and had been friends for years.

"She's kind of like my second mother right now," said Palmer. "I called her and got her advice what to do."

Palmer said the intruders have not dimmed his enjoyment of his new home.

"I'm not going to let them ruin what I've got here," said Palmer. "I'm on the ocean, I have a sunset view. I'm just at peace here."

Looking at a land line

Smith said she is looking into getting a land line.

"Not using cell phones anymore, for purposes like that," said Smith, "It's just peace of mind for everybody. I don't want anything happening to him."

West Prince RCMP say the investigation is continuing.

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