A Providence, Rhode Island, man is recovering from injuries he says he sustained while fighting off four suspects who allegedly tried to steal his Jeep’s catalytic converter early Saturday morning.
The alleged victim, Francisco Medrano, told WJAR News that the attack happened around 3 a.m. after he pulled into his driveway with some late night fast food. While eating, he heard a noise coming from under his car.
“When I heard the grinding noise, and I looked into the side mirror, and I saw little legs sticking out and a guy standing in the back of my car, I’m like, woah,” Medrano said. “I’ve always wondered what would happen if I caught somebody in the act, and I guess it happened,” he added, referring to his decision to fight off the four men. “I think they were more surprised than I was, though, because I don’t think they were expecting someone to jump out of the car,” he told WJAR. (RELATED: Man Wearing Only Underwear Fights Off Armed Intruders With Bare Hands)
Police transported Medrano to Rhode Island Hospital after noticing he had sustained injuries in the fight, WPRI reported.
“Somebody stabbed me in the face with a Sawzall. I ended up pulling the saw out from the guy,” Medrano said. “Somebody in the back was hitting me with a pipe,” he told the outlet.
Although he wasn’t armed, Medrano told WPRI that the suspects fled after his two dogs went after them.
Catalytic converter thefts have become common in southern New England because the rare metals they are made of can land a thief over $1,000, WJAR reports.
“I just hope that all this stops. People are being real petty,” Medrano said. “Either I or they could have lost their life over something so petty.”
Providence police did not immediately respond to a Daily Caller inquiry into arrests made in this case.