Gunfire erupts when homeowner confronts burglary suspect
By KMOV Staff
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EUREKA, Missouri (KMOV) — A security camera captured a Missouri homeowner exchanging gunfire with a burglary suspect he caught rummaging through his truck.
The homeowner, Jesse Leuthauser, said he noticed the suspect breaking into his truck around 1:00 a.m. Friday in Eureka and went outside to confront him. The suspect took off while shooting at Leauthauser, who returned fire.
“It happened so fast, I didn’t know he had a gun,” said Leuthauser.
The bullet the suspect fired at Leuthauser missed him. Eureka police are not sure if the suspect was hit. Police believe there were three suspects involved. They took off in a Nissan after the shooting.
“I’m not scared of them. I’m going to take these guys head-on if they come back,” said Leuthauser.
Leuthauser is worried they will return because he believes the same guy have been at his house before.
“This is the third time in three months that it’s happened. They stole it on May 23 and took me 11 days to get it back, and it was destroyed,” said Leuthuaser.
Leuthauser said several of his neighbors’ cars were also hit early Friday morning. Eureka police believe the trio is behind as many as 12 break-ins Friday alone.
“We believe it’s an organized group that’s out there targeting, they’re using stolen vehicles, they are armed. What they’re looking for is weapons and other valuables,” said Lt. Mike Werges with Eureka police.
Werges said this type of crime is on the rise across the St. Louis metro. His department is stepping up patrols, which will include unmarked cars and license plate readers since many of the vehicles used in these crimes were reported stolen.
“I think that at times we live in a kinda a false sense of security. This is a very safe community; however, you wake up to motion in your driveway, you go out to confront someone, which you think maybe is just stealing change and you end up being involved in a violent altercation,” said Werges.
Leuthauser’s situation is proof that even a well-lit home and an obvious camera mounted on the garage won’t always stop criminals. He said the criminals’ boldness is what he finds most alarming.
“It’s getting old, you know? Someone is going to get hurt, someone is going to get shot,” said Leuthauser.
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