BUCKTOWN — A Bucktown man who was preparing to go on a business trip early Wednesday had just transferred his laptop, golf clubs and suitcase from his truck into a car when he darted quickly back inside his home to say goodbye to his wife.
But when David Colville returned to the car about a minute after, shortly before 6 a.m. Wednesday, he found a man opening the passenger car door, which he'd briefly left unlocked.
Colville, 46, then chased the man from the Hoyne and Wilmot avenues intersection to Milwaukee Avenue, where they crossed at Wabansia Avenue.
Near the entrance to Physicians Immediate Care at 1704 N. Milwaukee Ave., Colville said he "cornered" the man and questioned him.
"He was between me and the building. I asked why he was getting into my car and he said he was running from gang bangers and was just trying to hide," Colville said.
As the man took off running again, Colville placed a call to 911 from his cell phone and described the man as being in his "young 20s, Hispanic, with tattoos on his neck," he said.
The 911 dispatcher instructed Colville to stop pursuing the man, which Colville said he did. But he says "thanks to a Good Samaritan who saw what was happening and drove down to the end of the block to corner [the guy] in an alley, police were able to come in time."
From start to end, the dramatic chase took about 15 minutes. Colville had already left to go home, at the advice of the 911 dispatcher, when he was called back to the area by police who asked if he could identify the man who was found nearby.
No arrest was made because the man did not take anything from Colville's car and there were no warrants out for any past arrests. Police recorded the incident and the man's description on a "contact card" indicating they made contact with him.
On Wednesday afternoon, a Shakespeare District Community Police officer confirmed the incident had occurred and that no arrests were made.
The officer said that it is never advisable to chase after anyone.
"Call 911 and do not chase after criminals; be the best witness you can be, stop and call 911 and then walk [away]," the officer said.
Colville, who has lived in Bucktown for eight years, runs several times each week but was wearing dress shoes at the time of the chase. It turned out he had more stamina than the much younger man.
"I'm glad I chased him and was being somewhat cautious; he didn't pull any weapons," Colville said.
Colville's wife's posted about the incident to a neighborhood watch Facebook page to let others know a possible thief was chased away.
"We all just want to keep our neighborhood safe and let these thieves, etc. know they are not welcome here and we are watching. We as a community do not accept it and are trying to be very vigilant and united," she said.
