News

Actions

Gun-toting granny in Virginia Beach now sleeps with hatchet for protection

Posted at 11:32 PM, Nov 30, 2012
and last updated 2012-12-06 06:42:40-05

Virginia Beach, Va.--Camilla Wheelock was asleep when someone broke into her house, crept into her room, and stole her gun she says.

"And I thought, that was some nerve," Wheelock said.

Wheelock has been living on Pool Side Road by herself for nine months, since her husband Leon died in February.

He left his gun so she would be safe without him.

Now she's finding other ways to arm herself.

"I can sling these pretty good, but that gun was the thing, you know?" Wheelock said.

Security firm steps up for widow who sleeps with hatchet after thieves stole her gun

Wheelock is 76, and a creature of habit.

She knows when things are out of place, and as she dug through her dresser drawers Wednesday she realized something was gone.

First it was her purse, then she noticed her gun wasn't where it always is.
Wheelock worries it will happen again, but somehow she doesn't dwell on it.
If she did, she doesn't know how she'd sleep at night.

But she feels violated someone broke into the place she and her husband wanted to be their last home.

"This place keeps me close to him," Wheelock said.

Wheelock plans on getting another gun, and changing the locks to give her more protection. It's all she can do to keep from feeling helpless.

"But maybe there's something in my sub-conscience mind that's telling me 'Hey, you've got to stay here, there's no where else that you can go,'" Wheelock said.

The break-in occurred sometime late Tuesday night or early Wednesday morning.

If you know anything that could help police with this case, please call the Crime Line at 1-888-LOCK-U-UP.