(NewsNation) — A Good Samaritan in Yonkers, New York, tackled an alleged porch pirate when he saw the suspect running from police, the Yonkers Police Department said Monday.
Police say Francisco Jose Eder Mateo, 27, of the Bronx, attempted to steal two packages from the porch of one of the city’s residents on Jan. 3. The incident was caught on the resident’s security camera and the home’s owner called the police as the theft took place.
Officers were on standby, ready to pounce when they received the call. Body cam footage from the responding officer shows the suspect running away from the cops when approached on the sidewalk.
A brief foot pursuit ensued around the are, and police said Eder Mateo thought he was getting away when out of nowhere, a Yonkers public works employee leaped out of his vehicle and pushed the suspect to the ground.
“This Good Samaritan got out of his car and knocked Eder Mateo to the ground, allowing the closely pursuing Officers to apprehend him,” police wrote in a Facebook post.
Eder Mateo was taken into custody and charged with Grand Larceny in the fourth degree and Criminal Possession of Stolen Property in the fourth degree among other misdemeanors, police said.
The suspect was released at his arraignment on his own recognizance, the department said.
The Yonkers Police Department commended the community for coming together to stop crime, starting from the first call to the officers who captured the suspect.
“To any future thieves planning to commit these crimes in Yonkers- pick somewhere else. Our residents, Officers, and City employees will not stand by and allow you to victimize people in this City. You will be apprehended and delivered to the court system to answer for your actions,” the department said.
