Oklahoma Alert Neighbor Snaps Pictures Of Burglars In The Act

An alert neighbor saved the day when she saw burglars kick in a front door. Not only did she call 911, but she whipped out her phone and started taking pictures.

Her quick action helped officers make an arrest within minutes and allowed her neighbor to get all her stolen items back that very night.

It's not often we get an email from a victim saying how blessed she is, but that's exactly how Rebekah feels after her neighbor went above and beyond to do everything possible to make sure the suspects didn't get away with their crime.

Rebekah and Melissa are neighbors, and when Melissa realized someone had kicked in Rebekah's front door, Melissa called 911, gave descriptions of the burglars, and even took pictures of them.

So, when officers arrived, she showed them.

"They actually thought I was kidding. They thought maybe I took a picture of the house. No, I actually have pictures of them," Melissa said.

Officers found the suspects next-door, on the balcony of an apartment, sitting like nothing was going on.

When officers questioned them, they could see they had all of Rebekah's stolen electronics, cameras and jewelry, so they arrested Joseph Nelson and Melissa Grant.

That same night, Rebekah was able to go to the police department and get her stuff back.

"Well, the victim is here. I am not a victim. I am the most blessed victim, because of what Melissa did. I just wish that more people would invite their neighbors to be nosy. It is okay, allow your neighbors to be nosy. Because at some point you will be blessed, as I was blessed by a nosy neighbor," Rebekah said.

Melissa said she acted on instinct and the information she's gathered at recent neighborhood meetings, where they talk about being alert and aware. Plus, she remembers all too well what it feels like to be a victim.

"I was that victim a few years ago. That anger kicked in when I was that victim. And I thought, ‘Not again,'" Melissa said. "And I lived here too long. We're taking back our neighborhood from people doing wrong, people just doing things that they shouldn't."

Rebekah is thankful Melissa not only saved her stuff, but believes she also saved others from future heartache.

"The number of people Melissa has saved because of her brazen indignation to control the safety of our neighborhood, has saved numerous victims," Rebekah said.

Records show Joseph Nelson has been in trouble before. Just last summer, he pleaded guilty to claiming some property was his, when it wasn't, and, in December, he pleaded guilty to writing bogus checks. He was serving a six-year suspended sentence on both of those when this arrest happened.

We found no criminal record for the woman arrested, Melissa Grant.