ex-wrestler foils burglary attempt - 09/08/05 01:01 PM
nice article
Alleged burglar picks wrong place
Three-time state high school wrestling champion -- now owner of downtown restaurant -- defends his turf
Sharon Montague
Salina Journal
The would-be thief had fine taste in wine, selecting a bottle from the Robert Mondavi winery in California that sells for $35.
But he didn't have such a fine feel for people or place.
He was caught inside Martini's Steak & Chop House, 117 N. Santa Fe, about 1:45 a.m. Wednesday by the restaurant manager -- a three-time state high school wrestling champion who chased him down and held him until police arrived.
"He was obviously not a wrestler," the manager and co-owner, Jonathan Dong, 32, said Wednesday afternoon. "He really wasn't any match for me."
Dong was called to the restaurant about 1:30 a.m. by workers at an upstairs bar, Big Nose Kate's, to reset an alarm that had been tripped.
"The outside alarms were going and the strobe lights," Dong said. "It was making a bunch of noise."
That happens a couple of times a week, Dong said. He parked his car at the front of the restaurant, unlocked the door and ran upstairs to reset the alarm. On his way back down the stairs, he saw the shadow of someone near the restaurant wine rack.
"I yelled at the guy, and he dropped the stuff back into the rack and took off out the front door," Dong said.
The Chase
Dong gave chase.
"He was trying to steal from me," Dong said. "That was just my first response. I knew I could handle myself."
Dong grabbed the back of the man's black muscle shirt, ripping it from his torso.
"I tackled him pretty much right in front of the restaurant," Dong said.
Dong pushed the man's head down and got him in a headlock, with his arm around the man's neck and right arm. With his other hand, Dong pushed 911 on his cellular phone and reported the burglary.
"When I was calling 911, that's when he really started struggling," Dong said. "I threw my phone down and basically threw him down on the ground. We wrestled and fought all the way to the front of Santa Fe Pets," a business next door.
Dong held the man until police arrived, then let him go.
"I didn't want them to think we were fighting, and arrest us both," Dong said.
The Chase II
Immediately, the man took off, this time with Dong and police officers in pursuit. They caught him in front of Capers Cafe & Bakery, 109 N. Santa Fe, where he was handcuffed.
Deputy Salina Police Chief Mike Marshall identified the man arrested as Sean M. Cline, 25, Salina.
Dong wasn't sure how the burglar got into the building, because police didn't find any damage. He might have followed Dong into the building when he went inside to reset the alarm.
Dong, who wrestled for Concordia High School and at Division I Southwest Missouri State University in Springfield -- said he learned something from the early-morning ordeal.
"I'm not in the shape I used to be," he said, "but I found out last night that I'm still in fighting shape."
Alleged burglar picks wrong place
Three-time state high school wrestling champion -- now owner of downtown restaurant -- defends his turf
Sharon Montague
Salina Journal
The would-be thief had fine taste in wine, selecting a bottle from the Robert Mondavi winery in California that sells for $35.
But he didn't have such a fine feel for people or place.
He was caught inside Martini's Steak & Chop House, 117 N. Santa Fe, about 1:45 a.m. Wednesday by the restaurant manager -- a three-time state high school wrestling champion who chased him down and held him until police arrived.
"He was obviously not a wrestler," the manager and co-owner, Jonathan Dong, 32, said Wednesday afternoon. "He really wasn't any match for me."
Dong was called to the restaurant about 1:30 a.m. by workers at an upstairs bar, Big Nose Kate's, to reset an alarm that had been tripped.
"The outside alarms were going and the strobe lights," Dong said. "It was making a bunch of noise."
That happens a couple of times a week, Dong said. He parked his car at the front of the restaurant, unlocked the door and ran upstairs to reset the alarm. On his way back down the stairs, he saw the shadow of someone near the restaurant wine rack.
"I yelled at the guy, and he dropped the stuff back into the rack and took off out the front door," Dong said.
The Chase
Dong gave chase.
"He was trying to steal from me," Dong said. "That was just my first response. I knew I could handle myself."
Dong grabbed the back of the man's black muscle shirt, ripping it from his torso.
"I tackled him pretty much right in front of the restaurant," Dong said.
Dong pushed the man's head down and got him in a headlock, with his arm around the man's neck and right arm. With his other hand, Dong pushed 911 on his cellular phone and reported the burglary.
"When I was calling 911, that's when he really started struggling," Dong said. "I threw my phone down and basically threw him down on the ground. We wrestled and fought all the way to the front of Santa Fe Pets," a business next door.
Dong held the man until police arrived, then let him go.
"I didn't want them to think we were fighting, and arrest us both," Dong said.
The Chase II
Immediately, the man took off, this time with Dong and police officers in pursuit. They caught him in front of Capers Cafe & Bakery, 109 N. Santa Fe, where he was handcuffed.
Deputy Salina Police Chief Mike Marshall identified the man arrested as Sean M. Cline, 25, Salina.
Dong wasn't sure how the burglar got into the building, because police didn't find any damage. He might have followed Dong into the building when he went inside to reset the alarm.
Dong, who wrestled for Concordia High School and at Division I Southwest Missouri State University in Springfield -- said he learned something from the early-morning ordeal.
"I'm not in the shape I used to be," he said, "but I found out last night that I'm still in fighting shape."