Tulsa Man Wishes He Took Different Approach Confronting Car Burglars

A man who confronted car burglars in his south Tulsa neighborhood said he wishes he handled the situation differently.

One morning, while many were sleeping in a south Tulsa neighborhood near 111th and Memorial, a group of thieves broke into dozens of vehicles parked in driveways and on the street.

Neighbor Jim Walton was one of the first to wake up.

"At first, I didn't think I was in danger, I didn't think anything bad was going on. It was 5:00 in the morning and I was just going out for a run," he said.

Walton had just laced up his sneakers and stepped onto his street when he spotted something out of the ordinary.

"About that time, I glanced back and I saw the two gentlemen in the vehicle and flashlights," he said.

Walton’s neighbor’s car doors were open, so he walked toward their car and told them to stop.

"They got in the vehicle and took off, but it was a scary deal there for a little bit,” he said.

He was able to get their license plate number and, as soon as the car left, he knocked on his neighbor's door to tell them what happened.

Walton said, "They were very shocked; they didn't anticipate that either, not in this neighborhood. You just don't anticipate things like that."

Looking back, he wished he would have handled it differently.

"A little more hesitant, a little more careful, because that could have ended in another way that wasn't very pleasant," Walton said. "People have guns now and it's very, very, scary. You just can't be in that situation.”

Police agree, saying you should never approach a burglar. Instead, they say, snap a picture, get the license plate number and a good description of the suspects.

You can hand that information over to police without putting yourself in the middle of a potentially dangerous situation.