A return home for a forgotten ID turned into a quick-on-your-feet game of cops and robbers for a few Iowa State students last Friday night.

When Benjamin Zimmerman, a senior in meteorology, and Scott Neff, a junior in anthropology, returned to their home at 11:45 p.m. with their friend Mark Endacot, a senior in accounting, they found themselves tackling a man in the backyard.

When the men entered the house they said they knew something wasn’t right because all the lights were off.

“I heard noises and when I called to my roommate I heard someone crash through the back office window,” Zimmerman said. The person smashed through the storm window and screen, he added.

Zimmerman and Endacot ran after the intruders and tackled a man just beyond the backyard fence.

“The only reason we caught the guy is because he tripped over the fence. We thought there were two guys because the guy kept yelling to his friend to come and stab me,” Zimmerman said.

Neff eventually called the Ames Police Department. “It was a very stressful situation; I wish I could hear the 911 call,” Neff said. “It happened so fast. He knew he was had, but he kept struggling.”

“The residents were able to detain him until police arrived,” Special Investigations Officer Shawn Phipps added.

According to police records, Kofi Degraft-Johnson, 22, 1208 Top-O-Hollow, was arrested on a charge of second degree burglary. He was later released on a $10,000 bond.

Two screens had been pried off, but Degraft-Johnson allegedly entered through the unlocked garage door.

“He didn’t have time to take anything because we showed up,” Neff said.

“Three hunting rifles were found neatly stacked behind the fence, that’s how we knew he went back in for more because the computer had been disconnected,” Zimmerman added. “Anyone would have done the same thing. It angers me because this guy is free loading off our hard efforts and what we worked for.”

Degraft-Johnson could not be reached for comment.