Armed Preacher Nabs Theft Suspect

[PhillyGunOwner]

Car Thieves beware of Pastor Kilgore!

TAFT, Calif. — A former Bakersfield police officer turned pastor helped nab a man who allegedly stole a car from his church's parking lot.

James Kilgore, pastor at Taft Free Will Baptist Church, said he always keeps a gun and handcuffs in his fanny pack. They came in handy on Tuesday, when one of his elderly parishioners left Bible study to find his car had vanished.

Kilgore and Walter Brenton, 72, drove around looking for Brenton's 1986 Ford Crown Victoria, and spotted the alleged thief driving it a few blocks away.

The pastor followed the driver until he crashed, tackled him as he crawled out of the car and then handcuffed him until police arrived on the scene.

Ronald Lee Allen, 46, of Taft, was arrested on suspicion of grand theft auto and being in possession of stolen property, said Kern County sheriff's Sgt. Martin Downs.

"We don't recommend that people try to apprehend suspects, although in this case it worked out really well," Downs said."

Quoted from Fox News
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,291250,00.html

[OneLungMcClung]

Heh! Thats a good one. "Followed him until he crashed".... I don't think he was respecting the 3 car-length rule whilst following said scumbag.....

[SharpShooter88]

That is the kind of pastor that I want preaching to me! "okay folks now today we will prey for those poor souls who decide to try to steal a car out of my church's parking lot"!

I can see it now...Pastor Kilgores Church of Crime Stoppers...Classic!

haha anyways, that is pretty cool in my opinion. Kudos to him for being the man!

[TwistedCopper]

Hal-le-lu-jah!

[TonyF]

The pastor followed the driver until he crashed, tackled him as he crawled out of the car and then handcuffed him until police arrived on the scene.

Handcuffed him?

[PhillyGunOwner]

Handcuffed him?

I guess the police overlooked the handcuffing of the suspect. I believe that would fall under unlawful restraint of a person for a civilian. Maybe the police let it go because he’s an ex-LEO?

[Justin]

Handcuffed him?

Citizens arrest.

Not sure if it is legal in CA, but it is in many places around the country.

Kudos to the preacher.

[Justin]

double post 5 min apart for whatever reason.

[OneLungMcClung]

Citizens arrest.

Not sure if it is legal in CA, but it is in many places around the country.

Kudos to the preacher.

Yes its legal. Oddly enough Cali has some great support of citizens in some areas of crime prevention/reaction [just not your 2nd A rights ]. They have had a Castle Doctrine in place since I can remember; and citizens arrest, as long as it was warranted, allows you to use "any reasonable means necessary in proportion to the manner of the crime to restrain the suspect" or something like that.

[TonyF]

Citizens arrest.

Not sure if it is legal in CA, but it is in many places around the country.

Kudos to the preacher.

OK but more to the point, a preacher who carries handcuffs? Odd.