In the heat of Tuesday night/early Wednesday morning, one SF resident near Duboce Park decided to take justice into his own hands after seeing a man outside his apartment breaking into his car.
The man's wife apparently woke up around 3 a.m. and saw the alleged thief outside on the street, kneeling next to the couple's car, which had a broken window. She alerted her husband, and he allegedly ran out of the house and threw an object at the would-be thief — described by one witness as a metal pipe. As NBC Bay Area reports, the alleged thief was then the one calling out for help and telling people to call the police — and a chase ensued, with the burglary victim chasing the thief to the gates of the Mint on Hermann Street.
According to a resident who lives near Buchanan and Hermann, speaking to NBC, the alleged thief (or someone) was shouting "Help me, help me, cops! Please help me! Help, get the cops!" and the pursuer was shouting, "You were trying to break into my car!"
The alleged thief apparently sustained an injury to his forearm, but it's unclear what else might have occurred.
The pair were both detained by U.S. Mint police, and SFPD spokesperson Officer Joseph Tomlinson tells NBC Bay Area that both men face possible charges, one in connection to the car break-in, and the other for possible assault.
Related: SF Car Break-Ins Decline To Slightly-Less-Than Epidemic Levels