When You're Feeling Violated, You Want to Get Justice': Brave Surfer Catches Wave to Capture Suspected Burglar

When Gordon Gleason, 59, allegedly broke into a California surfer's car, he probably wasn't expecting to get caught. But within minutes, one wave rider had already noticed him.

Jonie Bernal was out surfing with her friend Maliny Soukkhasem, the owner of the car, at a California beach earlier this month when — from the water — she spotted the burglar, according to KEYT-TV.

As soon as she noticed, Soukkhasem told Bernal, who kicked into high gear to capture Gleason.

"I just start booking it, paddling it in, and, thankfully, I caught a wave in and so I got in pretty quickly," Bernal said.

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The brave surfer went on to say that she pulled the man out of Soukkhasem's car by the collar and started punching him and yelling at him. Bernal was able to detain the burglar until the Ventura police arrived, the Ventura County Star reported.

"All the while, there are men standing around in awe, shock, but not doing anything," Soukkhasem said.

According to Ventura police, Gleason found Soukkhasem's hidden car keys and was rummaging through the vehicle before Bernal interrupted him. Gleason has been charged with suspicion of vehicle burglary.

Bernal sustained minor injuries from the confrontation but did not require medical attention.

"I think that adrenaline catches everyone and it's something that's inside all of us," she told KEYT. "When you're feeling violated, you want to get justice."

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