Police in Antioch, California, arrested an axe-wielding burglar who allegedly broke into a church on Thanksgiving. (Antioch Police Department).
A California pastor received an unwelcomed guest for Thanksgiving in the form of an ax-wielding burglar.
The Antioch Police Department reported on Facebook that the pastor of First Family Church responded to an early morning alarm last Thursday. Upon arriving, he stumbled upon a burglary in progress.
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The police department stated, “When the burglar realized he had been caught in the act, he chose to engage in physical confrontation with the pastor rather than admitting to his wrongdoing. Little did he know, the pastor emerged victorious in this battle between right and wrong, managing to subdue the perpetrator until the authorities arrived and took him into custody.”
Pastor Nick Neves told NBC News when he saw the burglar, he ordered him to stop and said the cops were coming.
“I grabbed a hold of him and we ended up wrestling in the parking lot of the church,” he said.
Neves, aged 46, possessed skills in mixed martial arts, particularly in jujitsu and kickboxing, which proved invaluable during the incident. The pastor mentioned that his background in MMA enabled him to restrain the suspect without causing harm. After a struggle lasting approximately 15 minutes, the burglar grew fatigued, allowing for his apprehension by the police.
“I was able to pin him to the ground and he got up and try to get away several times, but basically just trying to wear him out because I knew I could outlast him,” Neves said.
Cops found an ax that the burglar, who has not been publicly identified, allegedly used to gain access to the building. Neves said the man did not need to steal.
“It’s just ironic,” he said. “If he had come a couple of days earlier, he would have been blessed and get some food and be cared for. But he decided instead to smash windows and desecrate property and do something that’s going to hurt the ministries.”
