California pastor uses martial arts to thwart would-be burglar

California Pastor Uses Martial Arts to Stop Burglar at Church

In a surprising turn of events on Thanksgiving day, a burglar attempting to break into a California church was met with unexpected resistance from Pastor Nick Neves, who is trained in martial arts and was determined to defend his house of worship.

Pastor Neves rushed to First Family Church in Antioch early Thursday morning after an alarm alerted him to a break-in. Upon arrival, he found a smashed window and a door left open, indicating that someone had forced their way into the building using an axe, as reported by the Antioch Police Department in a Facebook post.

When the perpetrator emerged from the church carrying stolen items, Pastor Neves confronted him and informed him that he was under citizen’s arrest until the police arrived. Despite Neves’ attempts to restrain him, the burglar attempted to flee, leading to a physical altercation between the two.

Neves, who has been involved with the church since 2005, revealed that his training in martial arts, particularly Brazilian jiu-jitsu, came into play during the confrontation. While his goal was to prevent the burglar from escaping and ensure justice was served, Neves emphasized that he did not intend to cause harm to the perpetrator.

The pastor successfully subdued the burglar until law enforcement arrived and took him into custody. The suspect, whose identity was not disclosed by the Antioch Police Department, is facing charges of burglary, robbery, and battery in connection with the break-in.

Despite the damages caused by the break-in, Neves expressed forgiveness towards the suspect and hoped that the experience would lead to a change of heart and mindset. He noted that the burglar had caused significant financial losses to the church by damaging property and stealing items.

Neves described the break-in as “opportunistic” and mentioned that the suspect had targeted items like tools and leftover food from the church’s charitable distributions. He extended an offer to share the gospel with the suspect if he were to attend a church service in the future.

The incident serves as a testament to Pastor Neves’ quick thinking and physical prowess in defending his congregation and property from potential harm. It also highlights the importance of being prepared to confront unexpected challenges, even within the sacred walls of a church.