'That Person Is A Menace': Sacramento Crime Victim Fights Back, Returns Neighbor's Stolen Property

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) – A thief trying to break into a Sacramento home was stopped in his tracks by the man he was trying to steal from.

Vern Adams got an unexpected wake-up call Tuesday morning while sleeping on the couch. His dog, an 18-month-old Chihuahua-terrier mix started barking at the front door.

"Who is crazy enough to walk into your house not even knowing if you are home or not?" questioned Adams.

Ring security video shows a man attempting to break into Adam's house in Midtown as he chases him back out the door. Adams decided to track the intruder down, in hopes of stopping him from breaking into other people's homes.

"I threw on some clothes, no shoes, didn't even wait for the shoes and got in my truck and I went looking for the guy because my logic is this: Anyone who is brazen enough to just walk into somebody's house, not even check to see if they are there, is probably brazen enough to do something to harm somebody. That person is a menace. So, I'm going after them," said Adams.

Vern went after the man but couldn't find him. About fifteen minutes later, he spotted the same man passing his house. This time, he caught up with the man who was riding a stolen bike and took it from the man.

A quick post on social media helped find the bike's rightful owner, Mitchell McCartney, a neighbor who lives down the street.

"Vernon is a hero to me, I just couldn't believe that he would've gone after it and gotten my bike back," explained McCartney.

McCartney had a brazen break-in of his own happening just minutes after the man first left Adam's house.

"I saw a gentleman leaving our bedroom and I thought maybe it was my boyfriend asleep and then I realized my boyfriend was still next to me," explained McCartney. "I pulled the dresser in front of the door to barricade us and called 9-1-1."

In less than 10 minutes, McCartney said the break-in bandit was gone again.

"It went from terrifying to exhausting to a relief," he explained.

McCartney soon realized his bike and a pair of shoes were missing. He posted about the missing bike online and within minutes received a message from Adams.

While McCartney credits Adams for saving the day, Adams is passing the hero title to his 18-month-old puppy.

"Like Vince Lombardi said, 'It's not about the size of the dog in the fight, it's about the size of the fight in the dog,' and this little dog has heart and that's enough," he said.

While Sacramento police are still looking for the thief, the neighbor nightmare is sparking new friendships between McCartney and Adams. The two are already planning a get-together in the future.

"I just feel better connected and secure in the neighborhood and that we have each other's back," explained McCartney.