A Thousand Oaks husband and wife awakened just after 1 a.m. Tuesday to find a man standing at the side of their bed. The intruder, holding a pair of garden shears, demanded they give him a specific amount of cash.

When the husband explained he didn't have that much money, the man, described as 20-30 years old, of a medium build and possibly Hispanic, assaulted the resident with the shears, but the 70year-old man fought back and grabbed them away.

His 59-year-old wife ran to a neighbor's house and dialed 911 for help while the now-disarmed assailant fled in an unseen direction from the home in the 100 block of Shady Grove Lane.

The couple said the intruder apparently came prepared with his makeshift weapon and did not obtain the shears from their home or yard.

Police brought a K9 search dog to help look for the man, but he was not located. The sheriff's East County Major Crimes unit is handling the case.

Detective Alan R. Hartkop asked that anyone with information on the attempted robbery call him at (805) 494-8223.

Hartkop said Wednesday that there have not been any recent break-ins in the neighborhood and that the Aug. 28 home invasion and attempted robbery "seemed very random- there doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason why they were targeted. They're just a peaceful couple," he said. "This was totally out of the ordinary."

Ventura County Crime Stoppers will pay a reward of up to $1,000 for information that leads to an arrest and a criminal complaint against the intruder.

To reach Crime Stoppers from Thousand Oaks or Moorpark, call (805) 4948255 (494TALK). From Camarillo, Oxnard and Port Hueneme, call (805) 385-8255. Callers may remain anonymous.