[Thunder Rod]

A couple items...

They do have a dog, a big chocolate lab who normally picks up on such things. Plus the owner has a license to carry and is a good shot, and who also has a bit of a southern, fronteir justice kind of attitude about such things.

The scumbags in question hung around in the light of day, as everyone was getting ready for work and school, in a neighborhood already alerted to previous thefts they performed over the last year. So they might have been bold, but they sure as hell aren't smart. (not smart enough to hold a real job anyway)

Now they are identified and marked, name, address, license plate number, etc. by a whole, close-knit area of the neighborhood, who are extremely fed up and, well... lets just say they are also very much aware of those who they are friends with in the area as well...

Again Kudos to Mike. Many thought the whole scene suspicious, but he acted without delay. There's a lot to be said for that.