Pictured: Father-of-one, 44, still being questioned by police after intruder dies in his house during home invasion - as neighbours reveal what dead man was doing moments before breaking in
- A 35-year-old man broke into a house in Harrington Park on Sunday morning
- Homeowner Francois Schwartz was awoken by his dog barking at the invader
- When he confronted the barefoot man in his living room, a scuffle erupted
- The intruder passed out during the struggle and later died at the scene
- Police continued to question Mr Schwartz at Narellan Police Station all day long
A South African businessman has spent the day in police custody for questioning after he confronted a barefoot home invader.
Francois Schwartz, 44, was woken at 7.30am on Sunday morning by his dog barking.
When he went to investigate, he discovered a man in the lounge room of his newly-built home in Harrington Park, southwest Sydney, where a fight erupted.
The intruder, 35, lost consciousness in the fight and later died.
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South African businessman Francois Schwartz (pictured) remains in police custody for questioning after confronting a barefoot home invader
Mr Schwartz (left) and his wife (right) were seen questioned by police in front of their home
The homeowner, 44, was seen getting into a police car and was taken for questioning by detectives after a man died at his home during an alleged home invasion
Two neighbours ran to the home after the owner's wife raised the alarm and unsuccessfully tried to revive him using CPR until paramedics arrived.
Another neighbour says he saw the man jumping fences and acting strangely before the altercation, Nine News reports.
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Mr Schwartz was seen getting into a police car and was taken for questioning by detectives at Narellan Police Station.
He remains there as of Sunday evening, with no charges laid.
His wife, who was carrying a toddler, and a teenage girl were spoken to by police at the front of the house before going back inside.
Mr Scwartz (pictured) was described as 'respectable and quiet' by his neighbours
Mr Schwartz (pictured) remains in custody as of Sunday evening, still being questioned over the incident
Neighbour Domenic Lombardo said he saw a man running through an adjacent construction site and acting unusually before the incident.
'My dogs were barking pretty loudly, pushed up against the fence, because there was someone there,' he told The Daily Telegraph.
'I heard heavy breathing and I jumped up on my retaining wall and I saw a guy in his 20s, with ginger hair, bare foot. He was breathing heavily and mumbling to himself.'
Mr Lombardo said he watched the man climb another fence and scramble into another property.
The rest of the family were spoken to by police outside the house before going back inside
The alleged home invasion took place at a newly-built house in Harrington Park early on Sunday
Mr Schwartz and his wife were described as 'respectable and quiet' by their neighbours.
Detective Inspector Shane Woolbank said people were 'entitled to their home' could use reasonable force defend themselves and their property.
He had a ginger-like moustache and beard, a scar on his left shoulder, and was dressed in a blue sleeveless top and grey knee-length shorts and no shoes.
The man also had a tattoo on his upper left chest reading 'true to ourselves is our true honour' and another in a foreign language on the upper inside of his left arm.
Two neighbours ran to the home after the owner's wife raised the alarm and tried to revive him using CPR until paramedics arrived, but he died at the scene
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