Too often, a video starts making the rounds on social media showing a thief - or, in the case of California, mobs of dozens of thieves - busting into a store, accosting the owner and employees, and making off with armfuls of loot, oftentimes in broad daylight without a care in the world.
Far less often does the clip end with the shopkeepers beating the ever-loving stuffing out of the perp. But when it does? It’s GLORIOUS.
One such clip out of El Monte, California, shows a group of employees in a family-owned jewelry store using baseball bats to make one shoplifter immediately regret picking their store to rob. The shocking, and quite hilarious, footage is reportedly of an incident at Meza's Jewelry, at around 2:30 p.m. Saturday, where witnesses say a man walked in and began pepper-spraying everyone in the store before smashing in display cases with a hammer.
A trio of men, later ID’d as the store owner and his two sons, weren’t having it. One grabbed what looks like a pole-like object and began wailing on the thief, who managed to get out the front door with his life - but not his shirt.
One of the heroes said the criminal threatened them with a gun, adding that while the family managed to protect their store and is covered by insurance for the damage, they’re worried the guy might come back.
Thankfully, police say they’ve got a pretty good bead on the perp. With any luck, he’ll get nabbed, though, of course, there’s no guarantee he’ll be prosecuted, what with this being California and all.
After all, a video of the good guys getting the win is rare enough. Expecting two miracles in a row might be a stretch.