DAVENPORT, Iowa — Another person took justice into their own hands trying to stop a car from being stolen in Davenport Sunday.
Dave Horst said he was washing his cars Sunday afternoon before he decided to go inside his house to take a break. He said before he could even finish his scratch off cards his neighbor came rushing to his door.
"I was inside, no more than five minutes I don't think it was that," said Horst. "My neighbor knocked on my door and said "they just tried to steal your car.""
Dave said his neighbor stopped a group of teenagers from stealing his car.
The neighbor said she was doing yard work before she noticed something wasn't wasn't right.
"I noticed this car coming around the cul-de-sac, that was kind of coming around a little too quickly," said the neighbor, who did not want to be identified.
She took a look at her ring camera and saw the the unusual car full of people stop in front of Dave's house and rushed into his garage.
"I kind of knew that they were either looking for something in his garage because you know he has a nice vehicles, or they were taking the vehicles," she said.
Then neighbor decided she was going to run and stop them.
"And she ran down from about four or five houses away inside she was kind of the eyes in the neighborhood," said Horst.
When she got to Dave's house the group confronted her and asked what she was doing. She responded quickly and was able to scare the group off.
"I noticed his car was running and I jumped in the car," she said.
Dave said he saw the getaway car leaving his neighborhood and wanted to stop them.
"I wanted revenge. I wanted to go I wanted to take this and take it in my own hands in handling," said Horst.
Horst went in his car and chased them until they reached Utica Ridge Road. He was able to get their license plate number and stopped to call police.
People are afraid others will continue to take matter into their own hands. The neighbor says as she looks back she realizes she could've been hurt, but she doesn't regret her actions Sunday afternoon.
"They could've had guns, knives or beat me up because it was four or five people against one," she said. "I would do it for any of my neighbors because most of my neighbors are older than I am. So I'm looking after them as if they were my own parents."
Dave said he is forever grateful to his neighbor for her brave actions in saving his car and wants to look out for others, the way she did for him.
"You know, there's so many neighbors that would have just… I don't even know what I would've done in that situation. I'd like to think out of done what she did," said Horst. "I owe her big time I'll do whatever I can for that woman."
According to Dave, police said there aren't any surefire ways to prevent car thefts from happening, but advised you do not chase after the thieves. The best defense against car theft is to lock your vehicle and not leave any valuables inside.