Karate teacher detains alleged burglar

LITTLETON, Colo., Sept. 18 (UPI) -- A karate instructor in Jefferson County, Colo., says he managed to confront and restrain a man allegedly attempting to rob an elementary school.

Kevin Kowalczik said he saw a man walking in an alley near Front Range Christian Elementary School this week and decided to investigate his presence due to a recent rash of robberies in the area, the Rocky Mountain News said Wednesday.

"I just decided to follow him to see if he was a regular person or if he was the robber who had broken into several schools lately," Kowalczik said.

Kowalczik told the newspaper he grabbed a rubber gun used in Prorank Karate practices as a precaution before following the 21-year-old suspect into an alley Tuesday.

The karate instructor alleges that he saw the suspect attempting to steal a cash box from the school and leaped into action.

Kowalczik said his rubber gun apparently startled the suspect, he used some of his hand-to-hand skills to restrain the suspect until police arrived.

"I decided if I didn't try to stop him, he would get away and continue robbing and burglarizing," Kowalczik said to the Rocky Mountain News. "I ran after him and tackled him."

The suspect was expected to be charged with burglary, assault, theft, criminal mischief and possession of burglary tools, the newspaper said.