VANCOUVER, WA (KPTV) -
A veteran in Vancouver said he took matters into his own hands when he nabbed a suspected bike thief early Friday morning.
"I'm GI Joe," said David Austin, who lives in the 3800 block of NE Royal View Rd. "To all the vets, this was for you!"
After waking up to strange noises, Austin told FOX 12 he rushed to the door and saw a man taking off on his $600 bike.
"So, I just get up. It's about 4:15 in the morning and I hear 'click, click, click,'" he said, "I'm going... what the heck is that?"
Austin then jumped into action and took off after the man, without any shoes on.
He caught up with the accused bike thief, who police identified as 30-year-old Adam Thomas, and pushed him down to the ground.
"I hold his head down and I say I'll crack you and he's like 'I'm sick, I'm sorry, I won't do it, I don't want to go to jail.' I said you're going to jail, because you're stealing from me," Austin said.
Austin told FOX 12 the suspect admitted to him that he was taking the bike so he could sell it for methamphetamine and food.
Vancouver Police later arrested Thomas on charges of second-degree robbery and malicious mischief. During the confrontation, police said Thomas had a pair of bolt cutters, which he swung at Austin.
Other than a few cuts and scrapes, Austin made it out of the ordeal unscathed.
He said he's had five bikes stolen in the past 12 years at the apartment complex where he lives.
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