Four Burglars With Pistols Went Up Against One Homeowner With a Samurai Sword — Graphic Photos Show Who Won

Never bring a knife to a gunfight?

That advice doesn't always hold true.

A homeowner in Cordoba, Argentina, defended his house against four armed burglars Friday night, the Mendoza Post and Daily Mail reported.

The homeowner's defensive weapon of choice: a katana, the sword preferred by Japanese samurai.

The damage he inflicted on the burglars was ghastly.

#Argentina. The burglars hacked to pieces with a Samurai sword when victim fought back;put them in Intensive care https://t.co/Ox8QBrHvZa

— Fawzia Suleman (@Fawzia786) April 14, 2015

The Daily Mail reported that the homeowner, 49-year-old Dias Costa, was asleep with his wife Christina when they heard the break-in around 3:30 a.m.

The four burglars had two pistols between them, the Daily Mail reported, but Costa hacked and slashed his way through the group and sent them fleeing.

Absconding with a few hundred dollars worth of stolen goods, the criminals piled into a car.

The driver, losing blood, quickly crashed it, according to reports.

Con una espada samurai se defendió e hirió a ladrones https://t.co/1mi4tGjdU2 ¿no han sacado esta historia argentina en el gráfico/metro? :O

— Gustavo Cantero (@cantero_gustavo) April 14, 2015

Four people, three men and one woman, were arrested after seeking treatment for their severe sword injuries, the Post reported.

Meanwhile the Costa family, fearing retaliation, has moved in with relatives, according to the Daily Mail.

The Costas' case is not the first time a katana has been used for modern-day defense: Two years ago, a Mormon bishop helped a woman fight off a stalker armed with a samurai blade.

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Follow Zach Noble (@thezachnoble) on Twitter