A Danville resident held a man at gunpoint when he fled after being discovered breaking into a car, said police Sgt. Philip Wisotsky.
An off-duty Piedmont police officer saw the man and a woman break into a neighbor’s van on Briar Place at 5:46 a.m., said Wisotsky. The policeman chased them away and called members of the Danville, Contra Costa County and San Ramon police departments for assistance.
Police officers saw the suspects still lurking in the neighborhood and chased them on foot across I-680, according to reports. The culprits wound up on the corner of Shirley Lane and El Rio. The resident with the gun lived nearby and, after hearing the chase, saw the male suspect and aimed his firearm. When the suspect saw the gun, he hid in the bushes.
Dar, the San Ramon police dog, found the suspect and bit him a few times, police said.
“He wouldn’t submit,” said Wisotsky.
After Dar bit him, the suspect gave himself up, police said.
Dar also found the female suspect, who was hiding in the area.
Danville Sgt. Ron Bradley said it is “absolutely” OK for citizens to arrest criminal suspects, according to state law. But he said he would prefer them to act more safely.
“We would rather have them be a good witness instead of risking harm,” he said.
-Jordan M. Doronila
