A group of neighbors in Lancaster, California, banded together to stop a man whom they caught breaking into homes, according to witnesses.
The scene was described to Fox 59 by a victim of the burglary. The victim, identified only as “Karen,” said that the incident unfolded at about 7:30 p.m., and she described it as both chaotic and dangerous.
Karen told the outlet that she was startled when she found the burglar standing inside her home on Saturday night.
“I just opened my bedroom door, and he was standing there,” she said. “We pushed him out of the house … he got onto his bike and started riding down the street.”
Getting caught by one victim wasn’t enough for the suspect, as she said that the man was seen looking inside cars moments later, acting suspiciously and carrying a backpack.
As more neighbors began noticing the suspicious activity, the man attempted to flee, but quickly fell over while trying to ride away on his bike. That’s when the neighbors pounced.
The group was able to subdue the man, taking his backpack from him and holding him until police were able to arrive.
“They opened up his backpack … and [he had] wallets, watches, sets of house keys, jewelry … and one of the wallets belonged to one of the victims,” Karen said.
Police showed up and took the suspect away in an ambulance, though the extent of his injuries was not made clear.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department has not commented on the situation.
It is unclear if charges will be handed down in the case or if any of the neighbors will be cited.