Father stops son's getaway after barbershop owner finds burglar inside business
A 23-year-old man was arrested after he allegedly broke into a Carson City barber shop Thursday afternoon while the owner locked the business up for 10 minutes to get a sandwich. The man, who took off running, was tackled by his own father, authorities said.
Marco Meza Jr., faces a burglary charge and is on parole and probation hold, according to the Carson City Sheriff's Office.
Carol Tickey, owner of A Barber Shop at 2070 E. William Street in Carson City, found Meza Jr., inside her business when she returned from taking a brief lunch break. She had put up a sign saying she was going to be back in 10 minutes and said when she returned at around 1 p.m. she saw Meza Jr., inside her business after he allegedly busted through the front window.
"I came back and saw the door and looked inside and saw the young man," said Tickey. "I told him 'I've called the police' — but I really hadn't yet — and it didn't seem to phase him a bit. He kept on opening drawers looking for stuff and I've got my head sticking in the door watching him. And then he just left out the front door with me standing there right in front of him. It was the strangest thing."
Tickey went next door to the Rent-a-Center and asked employees to call 911. An employee began to track the man down, but so did someone else: The suspect's father, said Carson City Sheriff's Office Sgt. Mike Cullen.
The father of Meza Jr., explained to authorities he was looking for his son, trying to keep an eye on him because of trouble that he believed his son was going to into, Sgt. Cullen said. The father saw his son being chased by the Rent-a-Center employee and blocked his son with a van and then tackled him, Sgt. Cullen said. Two off-duty officers, seeing the situation, also responded, and were able to detain the man.
Tickey said the event was bizarre.
"All this for about $37," she said. "He's in jail now and that's what matters."