Catalytic converter thieves and a lesson learned

[brownman]

http://articles.mcall.com/2012-12-21...erters-car-lot

Car lot owner nearly killed 'playing Dirty Harry' with thieves

Ron Matyas, owner of Airport Auto Sales on Airport Rd. in Bath stands near… (APRIL BARTHOLOMEW, THE…)
December 21, 2012|By Tracy Jordan, Of The Morning Call
The owner of an Allentown-area used car lot says he did just about everything wrong last week on the night he confronted two men stealing a catalytic converter at his Airport Road Auto Sales lot in East Allen Township.

But just days after two other thefts of 32 catalytic converters — worth about $1,000 each — Ronald Matyas says he stopped thinking clearly when he saw two men with flashlights under a car around 2:30 a.m. last Monday.

Instead of waiting for state police to arrive — as instructed after calling 911 — Matyas said he approached the men armed with .380-caliber handgun.

"All I was going to do was fire a couple shots in the ground," Matyas says. "I thought I was playing Clint Eastwood or Dirty Harry or something. I don't know what I was thinking. My emotions took over."

Matyas said he expected to scare them into surrendering by firing the gun. Click. He pulled the trigger at least three more times. Click. Click. Click.

His racing heart seemed to stop and in that split second he realized he was in danger of being shot with his own gun that he had loaded incorrectly. Matyas said he tossed the gun aside just as one of the thieves began assaulting him.

"We were rolling around in the dirt and the mud and the stones. Next thing I feel is other punches in my back. Now, I have two of them attacking me on the ground."

Matyas said he thought the second thief had run away, but he had joined the fight and found his gun.

Matyas, an avid hunter more accustomed to rifles than handguns, had forgotten to load a bullet in the chamber after inserting the magazine. However, he wasn't sure the thieves wouldn't figure that out and shoot him.

"He handed it to the other guy, who says something to the effect, 'How do you like it now that the tables are turned?'"

Matyas, 58, said he began thinking to himself, "Dear God, please don't let this happen tonight." They hit him in the face with the butt of the gun, leaving a jagged, L-shaped gash near his eye. When they ordered him to run, he took off in a zig-zag pattern with blood trailing from his face.

The tires squealed on their car as they took off heading north on Airport Road and then west on Route 329 just as state police arrived.

State police Lt. Vincent D'Angelo said investigators are pursuing leads in the case, but as of Friday there had been no arrests.

He said Matyas did the right thing calling police, but he should not have approached the suspects.

"It was a great first step, but let the police get here and apprehend the people," D'Angelo said. "He's fortunate he wasn't hurt worse than he was – especially when there is a gun involved. You're better to just call 911 and be a great witness."

Matyas is regretting his actions. "My wife even says to me, 'I can't believe you didn't come up with a better plan.'"

Matyas said he never got the license plate number from their car and could not provide police with a detailed description of the two men. He believes they were responsible for the two previous thefts on Dec. 4 and 8 because they were well prepared when he encountered them.

He said both were dressed in all black clothing with small backpacks containing their tools — scissor jacks, a battery-powered reciprocating saw and extra battery packs and saw blades. He said they drove away in an mid-1990s Mercedes sedan.

Matyas said he's willing to pay up to $2,500 as a reward for information leading to their arrest and conviction, but he mostly hopes the gun turns up before it is used in a crime.

"Had I listened to the cops and waited another 30 or 60 seconds, we would have had them," Matyas said. "But when you get robbed three times in less than a week, man, you want to do something to stop this."

Anyone with information may contact state police at 610-861-2026.

Glad he's OK. I bet he doesnt forget to chamber a round anymore.

[Waldershrek]

Matyas, an avid hunter more accustomed to rifles than handguns, had forgotten to load a bullet in the chamber after inserting the magazine. However, he wasn't sure the thieves wouldn't figure that out and shoot him.

Good gravy.....he better get familiar with that thing if he's gonna carry it around.

On the same topic, a Chevy dealer in my area had a whole bunch of new cars get jacked up and suspects cut off the converters. 30 some cars if I recall.

[streaker69]

Good gravy.....he better get familiar with that thing if he's gonna carry it around.

On the same topic, a Chevy dealer in my area had a whole bunch of new cars get jacked up and suspects cut off the converters. 30 some cars if I recall.

Obviously high speed "racing" style jacks need to banned, as well as electric reciprocating saws. No one needs that kind of cutting power.

[Waldershrek]

Obviously high speed "racing" style jacks need to banned, as well as electric reciprocating saws. No one needs that kind of cutting power.

Matter of fact, they had cordless ones! I wonder how many spare batteries they brought?

[streaker69]

Matter of fact, they had cordless ones! I wonder how many spare batteries they brought?

I can do a lot of cutting with my Dewalt saw before I need fresh batteries. Plus they make a 12vdc charger for it. A good metal cutting blade makes short work of exhaust pipes.

[MT1]

Matter of fact, they had cordless ones! I wonder how many spare batteries they brought?

These were no doubt evil high capacity batteries that are capable of thousands of cuts per second.

[yeager484]

My gun doesn't click click click click without the chamber loaded. Do others?

[Waldershrek]

My gun doesn't click click click click without the chamber loaded. Do others?

Some do with second strike capability

[nick060200]

I'm in a similar business now and have had to apprehend thieves doing the same thing to my cars. The problem with waiting for police in Philly is they will never show up. So after 2x of them not showing up I would hold the thieves at gun point then call the police and say "I have x number of thieves robbing me and im holding them at gun point" that's when they will send a car.

I always made sure I had back up. Ie: my dad or a friend. And I damn sure knew how to use the gun I was using.

They never get the punishment I feel they deserve.

Why do people feel they can take what others have worked for?

[CHEMICAL]

My gun doesn't click click click click without the chamber loaded. Do others?

Yeah, they're called hammer fired double action or SA/DA