A Fallingbrook couple has been left shocked and traumatized after experiencing a violent home invasion on April 17.

The incident occurred at around 9 a.m. on Neptune Way in Fallingbrook South.

The couple, who wish to have their names kept private, were startled when they heard several popping sounds coming from outside of their home. Soon afterwards, they heard the sound of shattered glass coming from the ground floor. Both of them were working in their basement home office at the time.

They both rushed up the stairs to see what had happened when they came face-to-face with a stranger, who looked to be in his mid-50s holding a construction hammer in one hand and a nail gun in the other.

“He started screaming at us and threatened us,” the female victim recalls. “Thankfully, I was able to calm him down and he eventually left.”

After calming down, the man casually walked back to his van, which he had parked in the couple’s laneway and drove away, but not before threatening to come back.

The couple immediately called 9-1-1 and gave a description of the van, including the license plate number.

Unknown to them at the time, the man had already broken into a home on Frenette Street before he came to their house. The victims of the earlier incident had also called the police, who were already on their way to the scene.

Within 10 minutes, the police had a suspect under arrest. Unbelievably, he lives on the same street as the second home invasion.

After the man left their house, the couple discovered that the popping sounds they heard coming from outside was the result of the suspect firing seven, five-inch nails through their garage door. Several struck the vehicle parked inside, causing extensive damage.

“If he had used the nail gun on us, we could have been killed or severely maimed,” says the female resident.

A day after the incident, she wrote about it on her Facebook page to warn others about what had happened and what she and her husband went through.

“I feel very lucky to be alive today. Had I not calmed him down, I know we would not be here today and I wouldn’t be writing this post to warn you. We are traumatized, we are scared and we don’t feel safe in our community.”

After being arrested, the suspect was held overnight and arraigned the next day on a number of charges. However, he was released and placed under the custodial supervision of three family members, which means he can only leave his house under their supervision and they are responsible for his whereabouts.

He is 51 years old, owns his own business and has no former record.

Needless to say, the fact that their attacker has been released and may still pose a threat not only them, but other residents living on the street has the couple anxious and upset.

They both hope the man, who is likely suffering from severe mental illness, will eventually get the help he needs.