In a display of courage and responsibility, a Washington state farmer recently prevented a potential crime on his property when he held two suspected thieves at gunpoint until local deputies arrived to handle the situation.
Farmer holds burglars at gunpoint after he finds them creeping around property: police https://t.co/dbG5iWtZdU
— Fox News (@FoxNews) September 17, 2023
The incident occurred last Saturday evening, around 7 p.m., when the Grant County Sheriff’s Office received a call regarding two burglary suspects on a farm in Quincy. The alleged criminals were targeting two farm shops on the property, but their nefarious plans were abruptly halted by the farm owner, who kept a gun pointed at them.
With his firearm in hand, the unidentified property owner confronted the suspects and held them at gunpoint until the arrival of deputies, who wasted no time apprehending the duo. The two were later identified as 45-year-old Glenn Richard of Quincy and 28-year-old Jesus Rangel of Mattawa.
The two were arrested on burglary charges and taken to Grant County Jail.
The sheriff’s office spokesperson, Kyle Foreman, commended the farm owner’s quick thinking, noting that such incidents are not uncommon in the area.
“We have many responsible gun owners here in Grant County and if they are outside protecting their property they can certainly hold someone at gunpoint and then call 911 to have us come and investigate and find out what those people are doing there,” Foreman revealed.
It wasn’t just the farm owner’s courage that led to the suspects’ arrest. Inside the shops, deputies discovered valuable evidence: a box of stolen property, along with shoe prints matching the suspects’ shoes, helping confirm their guilt.
Foreman explained that state law allows individuals to use force reasonably to detain someone who enters or remains unlawfully on their property. This detention must be conducted reasonably in terms of duration and manner, solely for the purpose of investigating the individual’s presence on the premises, he stated.
According to Foreman, the law also emphasizes that the premises should not reasonably appear to be open to the public.
The farm owner’s action highlights the importance of upholding and respecting the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens who are committed to safeguarding their property and the safety of their neighbors.