LINCOLN COUNTY, N.C.,None — A Lincoln County man followed a trio accused of stealing for close to half an hour, and police said his work helped them catch the suspects.
"If you see somebody stealing, then you need to take action," witness Sammy Pasour said.
Pasour chased down three people accused of stealing copper on Sunday night.
"If you let them steal, basically they are stealing from you," he said.
Pasour was home when he spotted three people at a store under construction on Main Street in Lincolnton.
"I told my wife to call the police," he said.
The people drove away before Pasour could stop them, so he took off after them.
"We got about 85-90 going down 321, and I just let them kind of fade away from me," Pasour said.
He slowed down, but refused to stop.
"I'd chased them," Pasour said. "If we had to go to Tennessee, we would have gone to Tennessee. It don't matter."
He followed until police caught up.
They arrested Carmel and David Thibault and their 15-year-old son.
"The wife was the getaway driver," said Lt. Brian Greene with the Lincolnton Police Department. "She sat in the car while the son and the father went in and got the items."
Police said the family of three would have gotten away with $500 worth of stolen cooper if it wasn't for Pasour, who coincidentally works at a scrap metal recycling center.
Both Carmel and David Thibault are facing charges of larceny and breaking and entering. Their 15-year-old son is in custody and will face similar charges in juvenile court.
WSOC
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