ATASCOCITA, Texas – Three teenage burglars, all of them still in high school, broke into and burglarized Lester Meeks' home on Wilson in Atascocita on Thursday, stealing several laptop computers, remote controlled race cars and electronics.
"I just wanted to catch them," Meeks says.
It was just as those teens were leaving when Meeks drove up the driveway with his daughter next to him. Meeks said one was standing outside drinking a bottle of Meeks' liquor, another was on his way out a back window,
At that moment, Meeks, who has eight surveillance cameras rimming his property, decided to chase down the trio of teen thieves, with a handgun at his side.
"I grabbed my firearm and took after them and when I caught up to them I told them to get down," he said. "I shot one round into the ground… to show them I wasn't carrying a BB gun."
Meeks said while holding two of the three teens at bay with his gun drawn, he dialed 911, but when he told the 911 operator he had a gun on the kids, the operator told him to put the gun down. Meeks said when he did, one of the two teens bolted off.
That teenager was later caught again.
Two of the teen burglars are in custody awaiting charges and a third teen is still at large.
Meeks said he feels good about being able to help the Harris County Sheriff's Office take these thieves off the street.
"I didn't hurt anyone," he said. " I have been a gun owner for years and I know carrying a weapon is a big responsibility."