California surfer Jolie Bernal spotted a thief inside her best friend’s car, then caught a wave into shore and ran to confront him at Surfer’s Point on Saturday.
Maliny Soukkhasem hid her car key before hitting the surf with best friend Bernal in southern California. The girls were out in the water when Soukkhasem saw a man inside her car. She told local Santa Barbara ABC News affiliate KEYT News that she called out to Bernal, “Jolie…my car!”
Bernal promptly caught a wave and rushed to grab the man in the car. She was first to reach the man. “I pulled him by the collar and punched him and started yelling at him,” Bernal recounted to KEYT. She said she doesn’t really remember what happened next, but somehow, “him and I got out of the car and were in front of the car and like on the ground.”
Bernal was able to hold onto the man authorities later identified as 59-year-old Gordon Gleason. Gleason was arrested on suspicion of vehicle burglary. Ventura police say Gleason was rummaging through the car at the time Bernal got to him.
The women told the local news outlet that they will be picking up a lock box to prevent future break-ins. They have no intention of shying away from the surf spot.
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