Man took burglars' van

BELLEVUE , Wash., Feb. 16 (UPI) -- A Washington state man who slipped out the back of his home to evade burglars said he did the only thing he could think of to stop them -- he stole their van.

Patrick Rosario, 32, said he was working alone in the basement of his family's Bellevue home Tuesday afternoon when he heard a loud noise coming from upstairs, The Seattle Times reported Monday.

Rosario said he looked beneath the basement door and saw unfamiliar men unhooking one of his family's three flat screen TVs. The homeowner dialed 911 and slipped out the house's back door to find the burglars had left their white van in his driveway with the engine running.

He said he drove the van a few blocks to a friend's house and waited for police.

"I kept a pretty cool head," Rosario told the Times. "You never know how you're going to react until you're in that situation."

Neighbors said the suspects, described as 20 years old, about 6 feet tall and 180 pounds, fled on foot after finding their vehicle missing. They left the family's TVs, a laptop computer and a jewelry box belonging to Rosario's wife by the door of the house.

"I wish I could have seen the look on their faces," Rosario said of the burglars.

He said police complimented his quick thinking.

"Two (officers) pulled up, and they looked over at me and go, 'You stole their car -- way to go, dude. That's awesome.' Another told me that I just made her month," he said to the Times.