PORTLAND, Ore. -- The chef and owner of award-winning Portland restaurant Langbaan nearly had his car stolen in his own driveway Sunday night.
Thai chef Earl Ninsom says it happened just before 10 p.m. in the North Tabor neighborhood of Northeast Portland.
Ninsom says he had started up his Audi SUV in his driveway, then ran back inside because he forgot something. When he came out, a stranger was in the driver's seat, trying to steal his car. Ninsom started yelling for help and a neighbor called 911 while they both tried to open the doors, even breaking the door handle of the SUV, but the suspect had locked it.
The suspect was struggling to get the car into reverse and couldn't do it, so Ninsom says the man got scared, bailed out and ran. But the suspect left a backpack with a white mask - similar to what Michael Myers wore in the film, "Halloween" - a loaded handgun, stolen credit cards and burglar's tools.
Ninsom and his neighbor were shaken up, but not hurt.
Portland police walked us through the report today. Sgt. Chris Burley says never leave your car running with the keys inside, even for a minute. It's too much of an opportunity for thieves. Police say it's extremely lucky Ninsom wasn't hurt. It can be dangerous to try and confront a suspect yourself.
"We really encourage people to be good witnesses, we don't want anyone to get hurt obviously over something like a material possession. But it can be difficult, when you see that someone is trying to take something that's yours that you want to try and stop the bad act from happening," said Burley.
The suspect is described as a white man who is 5-foot-8 and 300 pounds with a very long, bushy strawberry blond beard and blond hair.
Burley confirms the suspect had stolen credit cards and gift cards from a woman in Beaverton, so she was able to get those back.
Call police if you know anything.