One neighbor is accused of the crime. Another neighbor is credited with catching him.
Police say when a Gastonia man broke into a home near his own, another man who lives nearby caught him and detained him until police could get there.
Police said a search of Ronald Snipes’ house later provided enough evidence to warrant criminal charges against the 43-year-old.
According to police reports, Jonathon Watson of 1202 East Park Drive in Gastonia called a neighbor after his home’s alarm system was triggered. He asked the man to check on his house since he was not nearby, said Gastonia Police Sgt. Heath McMullan.
When the neighbor made his way toward Watson’s home, he saw Snipes walking away.
Police say Watson kept Snipes with him while police were on their way. McMullan says Watson had a gun with him, but did not point it at Snipes.
When police arrived, they discovered the back door of the home had been kicked in. At the time there wasn’t enough evidence to arrest Snipes, but police said they went to his home and found two guns and a TV taken from Watson’s house.
Police arrested Snipes a short time later and charged him with possession of a firearm by a felon, possessing burglary tools, breaking and entering, two counts of larceny after breaking and entering and second degree burglary, all felonies.
He was jailed on a $105,000 bond.
Snipes was convicted of burglary in 2012 and 2011, and charged with burglary last February. He is also a registered sex offender.
McMullan says while the neighbor had good intentions, police don’t recommend attempting to detain a suspected criminal.
“You never want to take that on yourself because you don’t know if the suspect is armed and how bad he really wants to get away,” he said.
You can reach reporter Lauren Baheri at 704-869-1842 or Twitter.com/lbaheri.
