COLUMBIA, S.C. — Uriah Stillinger says it was just a normal Wednesday when he, "Saw cop cars going all around."
Stillinger says, "All of a sudden there was a guy that came up on the property as we were working and he was kind of out of breath."
A landscaper for Blue Moon Landscaping, says he knew something was wrong after hearing the sirens and seeing a strange man in his work site. "I ran up to him and just kind of like grabbed him around his waist and just kind of held him."
On March 3rd, a call came in to the Columbia Police Department, a burglary in progress. Officer Collin Johnson says, "The homeowner arrived home and he found a purple bike in the front yard at which point he went around back and found his back door had been kicked in, when he returned to the front, he saw an individual exiting his home."
Officer Johnson was en route when he saw the suspect. He says he then gave chase. "When I got out of my vehicle, that's when he fled on foot."
30 minutes into the chase, officer Preston Avery says, "It was difficult because the area he was in is a lot of blocks ... and a lot of avenues for escape."
With multiple units and the canine team searching for the man, fellow landscaper, Cedric Givru says, "I saw this guy coming from the neighbor's totally panicked, totally breathless."
The suspect unknowingly ran into two men who would help with his arrest. "I just kind of picked him up and dropped down a little bit and then Cedric got on him to ... pulled his arms behind," says Stillinger.
"I just ran to help him. We put him on the ground on his belly," says Givru.
Officer Avery says, "It was able to prolong him being in one spot ... it gave us the opportunity to close in on him and put him in handcuffs."
The suspect was charged with first degree burglary and malicious injury to real property. He is currently being held at the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center on a $20,000 bond.