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Personal Trainer Helps Catch Burglars at Aunt's House — Barefoot

By Ed Komenda | February 11, 2016 8:33am
 Joey Bossard, 19, recently chased after a pair of would-be burglars trying to break into his aunt's house in Canaryville.
Joey Bossard, 19, recently chased after a pair of would-be burglars trying to break into his aunt's house in Canaryville.
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DNAinfo/Ed Komenda

CANARYVILLE — When Joey Bossard heard someone was trying to break into his aunt's house, he hit the road in his flip flops and sprinted to the scene.

By the time the cops drove away, the 19-year-old neighborhood kid had chased down a pair of would-be burglars — barefoot.

Some people called him crazy for chasing danger like that, but Bossard said he was running on instinct.

“I didn’t even think about it,” said Bossard, who was recognized at Tuesday night’s community policing meeting in Bridgeport, where neighborhood folks applauded his heroics.

The wild scene unfolded the afternoon of Feb. 4. Bossard was at Taylor-Lauridsen Park with his mother, and her cellphone soon rang.

It was her sister’s neighbor with bad news: Someone was, at that very moment, breaking into her sister’s house in the 4200 block of South Wallace Street. When he heard what was happening, Bossard said he didn’t think twice before he hit the pavement and ran as fast as he could to her house.

Bossard arrived and saw squad cars on the scene. He told the officers he was the homeowner’s nephew.

The front door was locked, but Bossard led police officers into the backyard.

He then walked to the front of the house, where he saw one of the would-be burglars hop a fence and take off.

Losing his flip flops, Bossard sprinted toward the man, a heavy-set fellow standing about 6 feet tall. He caught up to the man and grabbed him. That’s when he noticed another man running south down Wallace.

Bossard, a personal trainer at Charter Fitness, used his strength to hold the first man until the officers showed up to arrest him. He then sprinted down 43rd Street until he saw the second man cross the street and duck into an alley.

Bossard ran full speed, losing his hat behind him, he said, until he was less than 10 feet from the man. That’s when a police officer showed up with his gun drawn, Bossard said.

Police were able to arrest three people for attempted burglary that day, Bossard said. Police spokesmen did not immediately have any information on the case.

Looking back, Bossard said the experience was nothing short of an adrenaline trip. When it was over, he was breathing heavy, which is odd, Bossard said, because running doesn’t usually tire him out.

“It was shock for everybody,” Bossard said.

He didn’t notice he had caught the bad guys barefoot. Running after the criminals, he lost his flip flops, his hat and sweatshirt.

“I was walking back and picking up my clothes,” Bossard said, laughing.

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