Burglary suspect offers odd swap for freedom

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - A St. Petersburg, Fla. couple held a burglary suspect at gunpoint in their home until authorities arrived and, in the meantime, the suspect made them an offer in exchange for his freedom: He promised to mow their lawn, reports the Tampa Bay Times.

Colleen Traversa and her husband, Joseph Cihak, awoke early Wednesday morning, Sept. 3, to the sound of footsteps in their home.

Traversa immediately called 911 and Cihak grabbed his gun. Their home had been broken into just a couple pf weeks before, according to CBS affiliate WTSP.

The Tampa Bay Times reports Cihak fired shots at the alleged burglar - later identified as 25-year-old Bryan Remley - and eventually got him pinned down on the ground at gunpoint.

As the couple waited for police to arrive, Remley reportedly begged for Cihak to let him go and even promised to come back to mow the lawn if he did.

"That probably would have done it for me," police spokesman Mike Puetz joked to the paper, "but for this particular guy, he wanted to wait for the cops.

Police charged Remley, who they say had a knife, with armed burglary and violation of probation.