Man chases down crooks who crashed stolen car into neighbor's fence

WAUWATOSA -- A man saw crooks smash through a fence into his neighbor's car, and decided to take matters into his own hands - going after the suspects!

It began as a quiet evening with the kids, inside Robert Hines' apartment complex near the Milwaukee-Wauwatosa border. "I heard a loud 'bang,' and I came to the window and was looking out," Hines said.

Hines said bits of wood from his neighbor's fence went flying as a stolen car came crashing through it, striking his neighbor's truck.

The suspect took off in another car with a friend, as Hines and his neighbor followed closely behind in Hines' truck. "We took off looking for them," Hines said.

Hines and his neighbor chased the suspects until the car crashed near 110th and Derby, and the suspects took off on foot. "I kept running behind them, but then they split up," Hines said.

On their way home, Hines saw one of the suspects - 18-year-old Brandon Smith inside PKS Pantry off Hampton Ave. "We grabbed them in the store and told the store owner to call police," Hines said.

Hines and his neighbor wrestled the suspects into Hines' truck, and waited for police to show up.

Unfortunately, Hines' good deed did not go unpunished. He says his truck was vandalized the very next day. "I didn't see who it was, but I'm pretty sure it was someone who was involved with the incident," Hines said.

Hines said he wouldn't think twice about chasing down the car thieves who bashed into his neighbor's truck. "I would hope people would do the same for me if something like that happened with my vehicle," Hines said.

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