Rancher on horseback lassoes would-be bike bandit in Walmart parking lot

[Vol Texan]

And now for your feel-good story of the day:

http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016 ... le-rancher

The idea that "a CHL doesn't make you a LEO, so keep to your own business" is good advice, but I do love a story about a good Samaritan who (armed or not) chose to do the right thing at the right time.

An attempted bicycle theft in a Walmart parking lot was foiled by a cattle rancher on horseback, who chased the thief down and lassoed him until the local police in southern Oregon could arrive.

The bicycle was stolen from a bike rack outside a Walmart in Eagle Point, a town about 170 miles south of Eugene, Oregon, at around 10amon Friday morning. The woman who owned the bike and several others gave chase on foot but were unable to catch him.

Then a rancher named Robert Borba brought his horse out of its trailer, mounted up and chased the thief down, according to Chris Adams, an officer with the Eagle Point police who responded to the 911 call about the theft.

“When we arrived, there was a large crowd standing around a younger gentleman who was on the ground, the rope around his ankle, hanging on to a tree,” Adams said. Victorino Arellano-Sanchez was arrested and charged with theft, the police said.

“I seen this fella trying to get up to speed on a bicycle,” Borba told the Medford Mail-Tribune. “I wasn’t going to catch him on foot. I just don’t run very fast.” He added: “I use a rope every day, that’s how I make my living. If it catches cattle pretty good, it catches a bandit pretty good.”

Not a lot is known about Borba because he is new in town, Adams said, but “it appears he will be a good fit. Eagle Point is a small city, and people watch out for each other. That’s exactly what he did.”

David Stepp said that he had been sitting in his car nearby when he saw the cowboy trotting across the parking lot on his horse after the thief, who was trying to escape on the stolen bicycle.

(snip)

“The guy was just hanging back like ‘you ain’t gonna steal no bike in front of me’,” Stepp said about Borba. The owner of the bike was “just happy to have her bike back”, he added.

[TexasJohnBoy]

Oh wow, that is awesome!

[Mick22]

Kudos to the Rancher!!!

[dlh]

Gotta love this story! Too bad it did not happen in Texas :)

The picture is worth a thousand words.

[Javier730]

Great story! Thanks for posting.

[Jusme]

The only way it could have been better is if he had used his pigging string to tie both legs and an arm and waved his hands for his time.

I'll bet he will be a hit in the jail cell when the others find out how he was caught. They should print out the photo and pass it around the cell block.

[WildBill]

[sugar land dave]

What a strange story. Does the rancher take his horse around fully saddled with rope at the ready or is the police response and the criminals escape exceedlingly slow? It is a great feel-good story, but one that puzzles me when I consider the time management of the characters in this adventure. Well at least it ended well with the hero on his horse riding into the sunset while the villain, vanquished and in custody of the lawman, angrily looks on.

[Jusme]

What a strange story. Does the rancher take his horse around fully saddled with rope at the ready or is the police response and the criminals escape exceedlingly slow? It is a great feel-good story, but one that puzzles me when I consider the time management of the characters in this adventure. Well at least it ended well with the hero on his horse riding into the sunset while the villain, vanquished and in custody of the lawman, angrily looks on.

Around here it's not unusual for horses to be transported in trailers saddled and bridled. I have seen them parked in parking lots while the riders are eating or shopping.

[TXBO]

What a strange story. Does the rancher take his horse around fully saddled with rope at the ready or is the police response and the criminals escape exceedlingly slow? ....

If the haul is pretty short, it's common to saddle a horse at home if you are going to a roping or to work cattle.

[SHogun62]

What a strange story. Does the rancher take his horse around fully saddled with rope at the ready or is the police response and the criminals escape exceedlingly slow? It is a great feel-good story, but one that puzzles me when I consider the time management of the characters in this adventure. Well at least it ended well with the hero on his horse riding into the sunset while the villain, vanquished and in custody of the lawman, angrily looks on.

I actually just moved down here a couple of years ago after my last duty station in Washington. Up there, especially in Oregon and Eastern Washington, it's pretty common for those with horses to ride them around in public areas, so most of the time, when you see a horse in a trailer, it's usually rigged up for a ride.

[bblhd672]

You can almost hear the liberals/progressives in the northwest talking about how awful and demeaning the picture is to the "poor child" roped and tied to a tree.

[Jusme]

Note to thieves: Before attempting to steal a bicycle, look around for mounted cowboys!!

[flintknapper]

What a strange story. Does the rancher take his horse around fully saddled with rope at the ready or is the police response and the criminals escape exceedlingly slow? It is a great feel-good story, but one that puzzles me when I consider the time management of the characters in this adventure. Well at least it ended well with the hero on his horse riding into the sunset while the villain, vanquished and in custody of the lawman, angrily looks on.

See it all the time around here. Horse(s) saddled, bridled and halter slipped over the bridle. It wouldn't take 30 seconds to get your horse out of the trailer, pull the cinch up tight on your saddle (if not already done) and off you go. Most guys around here also have a dog or two.

Just wish the rancher had a branding iron with him. Place a big "T" (for thief) on the guys right hip.

Or at least drag him around for a little ways on the pavement after having 'heeled' him.

[mojo84]

Surprised I haven't seen all the mind your own business having a horse and a rope doesn't make one a cop or batman comments.

Again, I am thankful for those that are willing to help others in time of need in spite of risk to themselves. Our country needs more people like this man.