Law enforcement officials are &uot;vigorously&uot; searching for an intruder who robbed an elderly woman at gunpoint in her Morgantown Road home Wednesday night.

Adams County Sheriff Tommy Ferrell said dispatchers received a call at 10:20 p.m. Wednesday night from a woman who he described to be in her 70s and living alone in a secluded area off Morgantown Road.

The woman later told investigators an unidentified black male knocked on her door and asked to make a phone call because his vehicle was broken down nearby, Ferrell said.

Rather than let the stranger into her home, the woman made the safe decision and offered to make the call for him, Ferrell said.

&uot;While she was gone, he forced his way into her home,&uot; he said.

Threatening the woman with a handgun, the man then stole a small amount of money and escaped, leaving the woman uninjured.

&uot;She was fortunate because something like this can turn deadly in the blink of an eye,&uot; Ferrell said.

Ferrell said his agency has no leads or suspects at this time, but said &uot;we are vigorously investigating the case.&uot;

&uot;We don’t think this is rampant,&uot; he said. &uot;This is an extreme and isolated case. We’ve seen nothing like this in the area.&uot;

Still, Ferrell advises all people, especially the elderly, not to allow strangers into their home for any reason.

Also, if offering to make a phone call for a stranger, call law enforcement first and tell them what you are doing, Ferrell said.

&uot;We may have a car in the area,&uot; he said, adding that it is also a good idea to tell the stranger you are calling the police for help.

Ferrell asked that people report any suspicious behavior to local law enforcement.