Home intruder pistol-whips elderly man in St. Louis

ST. LOUIS, Mo. (FOX 13) - The St. Louis, Missouri Municipal Police Department hopes someone recognizes a man who forced his way into a 79-year old man's home and robbed him at gunpoint.

A hidden Nest security camera recorded the home invasion, including the homeowner being pistol-whipped and then thrown to the ground by his attacker. 

It happened Friday at a home in the 3600 block of Lafayette Avenue, just across Interstate 44 from Compton Hill Reservoir Park.

Video of the incident shows a man come through the door. He's wearing a black pea coat, tan-colored hat, and a mask with a skull on the front.  

The homeowner asks the man what he's doing and tells him to "get out of here." 

That's when the intruder pulls out what appears to be a handgun and points it toward the elderly man's face.

The suspect pushes the homeowner into a nearby chair and hits him on the head with the gun multiple times. The suspect then throws the man to the floor and begins emptying his pockets. 

After taking what the homeowner had in his pockets, the suspect runs back out through the front door.

When officers got there, the victim said he was on his front porch when the suspect forced his way inside.

EMS took the victim to a hospital for treatment. 

The suspect was described as a 25-30-year-old black male, between 5-foot 10-inches and 6 feet tall, and weighing about 150 pounds.

Anyone who recognizes the suspect in the video is asked to cal l866-371-TIPS (8477).