Posted on 03/11/2009 9:04:18 AM PDT by SwinneySwitch
It's a story about a man who was in no mood to see his dream house got to the dogs. He was in no mood to be victimized by a thief again. Bryan Gully with the help of his neighbor Al Lizakowski hatched a plan to catch a crook, and police say they succeeded.
27 year old Eric Martinez has been arrested on charges of burglary, drug possession and evading arrest.
Investigators believe Sunday Martinez might have packed up a bunch of items to steal from an island home under construction. He returned Monday to load up his SUV, but police tell us he ran into opposition. Gulley was waiting in the garage, and Lizakowski was on standby.
"My heart was beating, its a good thing I take blood pressure pills that's all I can say," said Lizakowski. "He just entered the house, and was coming out of the house, and he saw me come forward."
Lizakowski armed with a pistol told us he put a shot in the ground and then, "I said you come any further, I'm going to shoot you."
After that, Lizakowski tells us he told the guy to just sit still that the police were on their way.
But, that's when Martinez reportedly started to try and bargain with the two men, and tried to escape.
"He started pleading with us. He started saying please don't shoot me, please don't shoot me, I'm already on probation I don't want to go back to jail, we said no we're going to wait for the police to come."
He says Martinez tried to then walk toward the channel but the two men followed him.
That's when the plan was hatched to grab the man's keys. They were in the running getaway car.
"He crawled back in the car. We thought that's a good place for him until police come. Well, what happened he had a second set of keys. so he started the car," explained Lizakowski.
He said that's when they shot at the side of the car, the tires, and the engine, trying to disable the vehicle.
It must have worked because Martinez' car was found about a block away in some brush, and later Police arrested Martinez on charges of evading, possession of meth, and burglary.
"In hindsight, I'm very glad I had Al to back me up," said Gulley. We spoke to the homeowner by phone Monday afternoon. "If I was by myself there was a chance he (Martinez) would try to jump me for that gun and I would have to shoot the guy."
He said a year ago his boat was stolen off its lift on the island, and he's fed up with thieves running rampant on the island. Lizakowski says 2 years ago he was burglarized and lost about $8,000 worth of property.
Both men say they never wanted to hurt the thief, just stop him. Gulley said he didn't sleep at all as he waited for him on a matress in the garage close to the packed up loot that was ready to be shipped out.
"If I didn't catch him he would be back again, so the object was to try and catch this guy in the act."
Yup, but not in Texas, which is one of the many reasons I am moving there soon.
Agreed. And she might want to consider a little higher caliber hole puncher...
Probably home grown, he was on probation. Eric will get some free room and board, courtesy of the taxpayers, now.
Burglary victim halts second break-in
http://www.caller.com/news/2009/mar/10/blotter-burglar-caught/
Martinez was in the Nueces County Jail Monday on suspicion of burglary of a building, delivery of a controlled substance and evading arrest. His bonds totaled $32,000.
He probably needed some clean underwear.
They took too many unnecessary risks and now the taxpayers have to foot the bill.
Two rounds center mass next time.
Better not try and mess with me while I'm down there vacationing. I'm usually tipsy the whole time I'm there.
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