A Florida man who reported a stolen vehicle and armed robbery recently told police he played dead in order to get another man to leave.

Christopher Blatus was at his Vero Beach home recently when a man he knew showed up, asking for a ride because his mother had just died, Sebastian Daily reported. Blatus told the man he was too tired to drive and to find another ride, deputies said.

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Deputies said Blatus told them the man became aggressive and began to yell, "I need an (expletive) ride, my mother just died." The man pushed Blatus down, and Blatus told deputies he "pretended to play dead," hoping the man would leave.

Deputies said the man splashed water on Blatus, hoping to wake him up. Blatus then got up and faked an asthma attack. The man handed Blatus an inhaler and drove off in Blatus’ vehicle, deputies said.

Blatus told deputies the man also threatened him with a knife, but when asked for surveillance video, police were told his Internet connection went out during the incident.

Blatus told police the man also took a jewelry box with about $3,000 worth of valuables in it. Police found the man with Blatus' vehicle later, but Blatus did not pursue criminal charges.

Read more at Sebastian Daily.