HAVE YOU SEEN THIS GUY?

Authorities in Lexington County are looking for a man who broke into a home near Lexington last Thursday and fled after being confronted by a 14-year-old boy who armed himself with a machete after seeing the burglar park his vehicle in the driveway. Yes, a machete.

Lexington County Sheriff James R. Metts released the above composite sketch of the suspect as well as the following information:

The man was last seen driving an orange or brown four-door vehicle that has a box-style frame.

The 14-year-old boy told detectives that the man who broke into his home was white, about 5-foot-9 and weighed about 160 pounds, Metts said. The boy said the man had brown hair and a closely trimmed full beard. The boy said the man was wearing a blue baseball cap, dark green shirt, army jacket and blue jeans.

Metts said he will not release the address for the 14-year-old boy’s home because the release of that information could identify the boy. South Carolina law prohibits law enforcement agencies from releasing information that could identify children.

At about 11:49 a.m. on December 6, the man drove to the Lexington-area home and parked his vehicle in the home’s driveway, with a portion of the vehicle sticking out in the road, Metts said. The 14-year-old boy told deputies that he was in his bedroom doing homework and heard the vehicle pull into the driveway outside his home.

The 14-year-old boy told deputies that he looked through a window and saw the man walk towards the front door at his home, Metts said. The boy said he went to the front door and locked the door. The boy then went to his parents’ room in order to get the machete.

After getting the machete, the 14-year-old boy told deputies that he walked into the living room at his home and saw the man walking through the front door, Metts said. It appears that the man might have used lock-pick tools to open the front door.

The man ran out of the home and drove off in his vehicle at a high rate of speed after seeing that the 14-year-old boy was armed with a machete, Metts said. After the man fled, the boy told deputies that he locked all the doors at his home, went to a neighbor’s home and telephoned his mother, who reported the incident to the Sheriff’s Department.

Metts asked anyone with information about the burglary or the man who committed the burglary to call the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department at (803) 785-8230 or CrimeStoppers at 1-888-559-TIPS. Citizens also can anonymously provide information online by accessing the Crime Tip link on the Sheriff’s Department web site: www.lexingtonsheriff.com.

If I ever get rich enough to hire a team of bodyguards, this kid is going to be the first person I hire. I don’t care how much I have to pay him, he’s hired.

At 14 I was fending off teenage angst with sappy coming-of-age movies and Nirvana CD’s. This kid’s fending off bad guys with a machete. He’s so much cooler than I ever was.