Palo Alto Homeowner in 70s Wielding Baseball Bat Chases Away Burglar

A man in his 70s used a baseball bat to chase a burglar from his home early Tuesday morning in Palo Alto, and police captured the suspect a short time later as he tried to flee on a stolen bicycle.

Police arrested 44-year-old Juan Bartolo Rios, of Redwood City, on suspicion of one felony, residential burglary, and two misdemeanors, prowling and trespassing, according to a Tuesday news release from Palo Alto Police Department.

Police initially responded to 400 block of Sequoia Avenue after a 6:47am call from a woman who said her husband had just chased a burglary suspect who had entered their home.

As officers searched the neighborhood, another caller in the 1600 block of Escobita Avenue reported that she has just found the suspect hiding in her detached garage and that he had stolen a bicycle.

Officers apprehended the suspect on the stolen bicycle without incident at 7:32am on Portola Avenue near Miramonte Avenue.

4 Comments

  1. It is a crying shame, the man in his 70’s didn’t have an opportunity to have some over-due ‘batting practice’.
    David S. Wall

  2. I guess President Biden’s advice is not in vogue anymore?

    —- “Biden on self-defense: ‘Get yourself a Shotgun’ ” (Jan2013 YahooNews) —
    ..
    Then VP Biden said:
    ““Guess what? A shotgun will keep you a lot safer,
    a double-barreled shotgun,
    than the assault weapon in somebody’s hands [who] doesn’t know how to use it, even one who does know how to use it,”

    vice president Biden, a shotgun owner himself, said,
    “It’s harder to use an assault weapon to hit something than it is a shotgun.
    You want to keep people away in an earthquake?
    Buy some shotgun shells.”

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *