Sacramento Burglary Victim Fights Back

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) - A south Sacramento burglary victim tired of being victimized took matters into his own hands on Tuesday, and by the end the would-be thieves were reduced to tears.

"It's not like I have enemies or anything because I don't," says Robert Trevizo.

And at 5 feet, 8 inches tall and 280 pounds, you wouldn't think anyone would want to mess with Trevizo, but he says "a lot of my vehicles have gotten broken into. I'm tired of it."

Early Tuesday morning, two would-be thieves learned that the hard way

"As I walked out, I see them coming out of my vehicle," he says.

The two 17-year-old teens were making a run for it after burglarizing Robert's work truck. So with a small gun in hand, Robert fired a round.

"I did shoot one to the ground just to warn them," he says.

The shot stopped the duo in their tracks.

"They were frozen, just scared," he says. "I went over to them."

Robert demanded they walk back, and they did, laying down on their bellies - and then tears started falling.

"They both started crying," Robert says. "She was screaming 'I don't want to go to jail, I don't want to go to jail.'"

Officers arrived within minutes and Robert handed over the sobbing Bonnie and Clyde wannabes - but it may not be just them in trouble.

"Now I have to possibly go to jail," he says

Police are investigating if Robert should have fired his gun.

"This is where the bullet went in," he says, pointing to his own lawn.

"If the police aren't here to do their job, I have to protect my stuff and my family's," he says.

Robert insists he knew what he was doing - protecting his community.

"I didn't shoot at them, I shot at the ground," he says. "It's just a warning shot. If I didn't, they would have took off and never would have been found."

So as he waits to see if he's charged - he's making no apologies - saying his acts were not criminal.

"If I do go to jail and when I'm let out, if it happens, I would do it again," he insists.