'They came looking for trouble and they found it': Esperance war veteran takes on home invaders

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A 78-year-old war veteran from regional Western Australia has fought back after teenagers broke into his home in the state's south-east.

When the man, who only wants to be known as Geoffrey, heard the back door to his Esperance home opening on Monday night, he knew he was being burgled for the third time.

The Vietnam veteran said he had not been scared.

Instead, as he crept out of bed he grabbed a heavy timber curtain rod he calls his "anti-burglar device", and recalled his army training.

"What they didn't know was that I was an ex-soldier and I'd been taught some really dirty, nasty means of defending myself," Geoffrey said.

"So I put some of those into use. I got one bloke across the arm and I got the other fella across the ribs.

"They came looking for trouble, they found it."

Geoffrey said the offenders kicked him in the kneecap and he fell on the floor.

Then, stunned at the fight in the old man, they took off out the door, leaving him lying on the ground.

Geoffrey said as he took stock of the situation, he heard his late wife's voice in his head.

"When I put a brawl and got knocked down, I could hear Judy saying serve you right, serve you right," he said.

Geoffrey was discharged from Esperance Hospital with swelling and bruising to his knee.

Police warn against taking on burglars

WA Police said while people had a right to defend themselves, home invaders could be unpredictable and dangerous.

"We don't recommend people take actions into their own hands," Esperance officer-in-charge Richard Moore said.

Police are still hunting for the offenders, who are described as dark-skinned males in their mid to late teens.

Topics: crime-prevention, regional, people, esperance-6450