Angry neighbor crashes into alleged burglars' car, traps them for police

LINCOLN COUNTY, N.C. — A Lincoln County man rammed the car of two alleged thieves to keep them from getting away from a burglary at his next door neighbor’s home, police said.

Louis McConnell, the brave man’s neighbor, said the act had been building for two weeks after two men tried to break into his relative’s garage on Highway 150.

In that incident, the man chased them, but they got away.

“He said, ‘If they come back, I’m going to get them,’” McConnell said, recalling the conversation with his neighbor.

Then, Tuesday morning as he came home from his job as a security guard, he saw a man in a car at a neighbor’s house and another man banging at the door.

Police said he drove up into the neighbor’s yard to confront the men.

He told police he thought the suspects were going to drive into his truck, so he T-boned them first. They pulled around him and got on the highway.

According to police, he pulled out behind them and followed them while he called 911.

He followed the two men for more than three miles, telling the dispatcher the car was swerving.

“I just hit him. He’s coming out of the driveway. They’re on the double yellow line. It’s going to be bad here in a minute,” he told the dispatcher.

The two suspects made one turn too many and ended up on a dead-end road.

“They are on Ernest Huss Road. I’ve got them blocked in, sir. Tell (police) to get down here quick,” the man told dispatchers.

Sheriff’s deputies arrested Alan Parker and Larry Hall and charged them with attempted breaking and entering.

“Nosy neighbors are a good thing when it comes to law enforcement,” said Lt. Tim Johnson.

However, Johnson added that witnesses should avoid chasing suspects and instead get a good description and let officers do the rest.

“We want you to make sure you don’t get hurt,” he said.

WSOC