A Thanksgiving morning turned unexpected for a burglar when he broke into a church and faced a pastor skilled in martial arts.
On November 28, a man used an axe to break a window at the First Family Church in Antioch, California, triggering an alarm, according to the Antioch Police Department (APD).
Pastor Nick Neves responded to the alarm, unaware he would meet a burglar. When the intruder confronted him, he chose to fight back.
“I shouted at him to stop and said the police were on their way,” Neves, 46, recounted. “He tried to run, but I caught him, and we ended up wrestling in the church parking lot.”
The pastor had martial arts training that helped him manage the situation. “I like to stay fit, and I have training in jujitsu and kickboxing,” Neves shared. This training allowed him to grapple with the intruder without inflicting serious harm.
The struggle went on for about 12 to 15 minutes, during which Neves managed to hold the intruder down until the police arrived. “I was able to pin him, and he kept trying to escape, but I knew I could outlast him,” Neves said.
Fortunately, the pastor was unharmed during the incident, as noted by the APD, and community members praised him for his bravery. “We’re very proud of him and thankful for his quick action,” said one church member.
Neves expressed hope that the burglar might reconsider his choices. He mentioned that if the man had entered the church a few days earlier, he would have received help and food, as the church had provided groceries to 130 families.
“It’s a strange situation,” the pastor reflected. “If he had come to the front door instead, he would have been welcomed. Instead, he chose to break in and ruin something special.”
