Customer chases suspected burglar

Petaluma police Thursday asked for the public's help identifying a man who tried to burglarize a home improvement store before being thwarted by several customers.

The man was caught on video surveillance at the Friedman's Home Improvement store on North McDowell Boulevard at about 1:40 p.m. Friday with a cart full of high-end power tools worth about $1,800, Sgt. Marty Frye said.

The man filled his cart with the tools and then walked out of the store through the nursery, Frye said. An employee watched him leave and followed him, yelling that the man had just stolen the tools.

The suspect then began running through the parking lot, pushing the cart before him, Frye said. Several customers chased the man, caught up with him and grabbed the cart.

The man kept running, heading south on North McDowell Boulevard and possibly getting into the passenger seat of a black, two-door Ford Explorer seen leaving the area, Frye said.

The video shows a white man wearing an Oakland A's baseball cap, a black jacket, tan colored pants and white tennis shoes, police said.

Anyone with information about the case can call police at 778-4372 or leave an anonymous tip at (855) 847-7247.

You can reach Staff Writer Julie Johnson at 521-5220 or julie.johnson@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @jjpressdem.