Missouri: Neighbor Fights off Would-be Grocery Store Burglars

Poplar Bluff, Missouri

From KFVS of July 22, 2008

Neighbor Fights off Would-be Grocery Store Burglars

Surveillance video shows a bizarre "break-in" at a grocery store in Butler County. Thieves try to cash in fast by taking off with an ATM.

The crooks tried using a truck as a battering ram, and brought down the front of the store.

But owners say thanks to a quick thinking neighbor, those would-be burglars left empty handed.

When the owners of the Green Forest Grocery Store put up security cameras, they had no idea what kind of video they would end up seeing.

"You can't prepare for someone to come in and knock the whole front door into the building," Jeff Darnell said.

That's exactly what happened as surveillance video shows.

"They stole a truck next door, came in here and ran it through the door. They hit it about three times, first time got it in midway. Then they got the truck completely through the building. They came to steal the ATM," Darnell said.

The crooks plan didn't go quite that way. That's mostly due to a long time shopper and neighbor.

"I heard this loud, excruciatingly loud bang across the street," Robert Chavez said.

That's when he sprang into action.

"I got my gun out of my gun cabinet and told my wife to call 911. I walked outside, and fired a shot in the air just to ruffle their feathers," he said.

It did. The would-be-burglars sped away and investigator Jim Akers says deputies found the truck abandoned on a county road.

Before they left though, Chavez had a scare of his own.

"He pulled out and faced me, the truck did. I felt at that point, I'm in imminent danger, and it scared me. I fired a slug through the windshield of his truck, and put one in the grill and passenger side door," Chavez said.

Store owners say they're grateful to Chavez. They still have some work ahead of them, but the store looks a lot better than it did on Monday.

"You don't expect it in smaller towns like we have. We have seen it on TV of course, but you just deal with what happens," Darnell said.

Store owners say the surveillance video shows the crooks trying to load the ATM onto the truck and dropping it on its side.

The Butler County Sheriff says he believes there were three people in the truck, but investigators have no suspects at this time.