Man Goes After Alleged Thieves Breaking Into Cars
FORT LAUDERDALE (CBSMiami) - Surveillance video caught two alleged thieves breaking into a car in Fort Lauderdale.
It also caught a struggle between the thieves and a man trying to stop them.
The incident took place during the early hours of Thursday morning.
Norm Kent was watching a baseball game in his Fort Lauderdale home when he looked over to his security camera.
"I see on the screen two people," Kent explained.
He is confined to his chair because he recently had knee surgery.
He yelled to his friend, John Fugate, who is staying with him until he heals.
"I come through the gate and the cruiser is parked right here where the challenger is at. The guy is in the driver's seat," said John Fugate. "I'm pushing against (the driver's door) like this, just trying to keep the guy in."
The surveillance video showed the alleged thief trying to escape through both car doors.
The second alleged thief ran away.
Eventually, Fugate was able to get his hands on the other guy.
"Right about here, we get in a tussle and I just put him in a reverse headlock and I drag him around the back of the car until right about here and I just got him locked down," explained Fugate.
The video also showed Fort Lauderdale police arriving and taking the man into custody.
Court records show the man arrested is Michael Fitta, a man with a lengthy criminal record.
"These guys are sophisticated," said Kent. "They come wearing rags so they don't leave fingerprints."
Kent said car break-ins are nothing new in the Victoria Park neighborhood. He has had his car broken into in the past and he expects the break-ins won't end anytime soon.
In the meantime, he is making his home less of a target.
"They should have been concerned that I'm armed, that I have a weapons permit and I have guns downstairs and they should be grateful that I'm totally disabled," said Kent.
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