MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A Cooper-Young homeowner spotted two men trying to steal items from the front of his house Tuesday morning, which launched a police search.
“Wife made the comment that it was awfully early for the mailman, about an hour early,” the homeowner said.
He lives on Nelson but asked not to be identified.
He said he walked outside after his dogs started barking just before 10 a.m. He said he saw a car parked in front of his house and a suspect loading his property into it.
“Putting my big bass speaker into the back of the car,” the homeowner recalled.
He said the suspects had already loaded his lawnmower. The items were on the porch because they were for sale.
He and one burglar started yelling at each other.
Meanwhile, a Memphis Police officer happened to be patrolling in the area and saw the confrontation happening in the front yard.
The homeowner said the thief put down the speaker and ran up to the police car claiming he did not do anything.
Police told WREG both suspects took off. The homeowner said he saw a man inside the car drive away.
A short time later, police found a car rolled into the side of the building at Olive and East Parkway.
Police tracked down one of the suspects, arresting him at Southern and Early Maxwell.
The coordinator for Cooper-Young Neighborhood Watch, Aaron James, believes Tuesday was proof the revamped neighborhood watch program is working. He said word of the incident got out fast.
“I’m completely stoked about how our neighbors responded to it, the immediate response, communication that it got,” James said.
Both he and the homeowner sang the praises of Memphis Police, who helped the homeowner stop the thieves in their tracks.
“I’m so glad they’re here,” the homeowner said.
As of Tuesday evening, police were still looking for the other suspect.
The Cooper-Young Neighborhood Watch is getting grants to put surveillance cameras in the neighborhood. James said the group has almost 200 members.
