VIA KHOU.com:
HOUSTON – A quick-thinking neighbor helped thwart a couple of criminals attempting to steal thousands of dollars worth of roofing materials from a southwest Houston home, according to Houston police.
Police said a resident noticed two men taking shingles off the roof of a house on Belle Park at Corona around 11:30 p.m. No one lived at the home, which was under renovation, but the homeowner lived nearby.
The neighbor called the homeowner, Raul Rivera, who arrived quickly with his hand gun.
The two suspects hopped off the roof when confronted by the homeowner. One immediately fled on foot and the other hopped into a minivan parked at the property.
The homeowner said he fired several shots at the minivan in an effort to flatten the tires and tailed the vehicle in his own car.
The suspect, who was struck once in the hip, eventually pulled over on S. Kirkwood at Beechnut and begged the homeowner not to shoot him anymore. Rivera stated he only wanted his merchandise back.
Police arrived and took over the scene. The wounded suspect was taken to Southwest Memorial Hermann Hospital in stable condition.
The 48 packs of shingles, worth thousands of dollars, were returned to Rivera.
