Man fights off alleged burglar with softball bat

Wednesday, 19 June 2024

Wavell Crescent resident confronted a suspected burglar who was on his Masterton property outside his son's window. He hit the fleeing suspect with a bat as he was crossing the road outside his house.

A man has been filmed fighting off an alleged burglar with a softball bat in Masterton.

Bradley Churchward had been guarding his house after his neighbour was robbed the night before.

A video shows him hitting the alleged burglar on the legs and then proceeding to chase after him down the road.

After a spate of neighbourhood break-ins, a Masterton man decided to take things into his own hands, fighting off an alleged burglar with a softball bat.

In a video posted on Facebook, Bradley Churchward is shown attacking a man he says robbed his neighbour the previous night.

In the clip, a man is seen walking out of Churchward’s driveway, before Churchward charges at the man with his son’s softball bat, whacking him on the legs.

The man lets out an audible yell and appears to drop his phone, before he proceeds to run away down the street.

Churchward attempts to run after him for a few seconds before returning to his house.

The incident occurred after Churchward said his neighbour’s car was broken into the night before.

Masterton man Bradley Churchward fights off an alleged burglar with a softball bat.

In a post alongside the video, he said he ended up guarding his house as a result of the previous night’s robbery where his neighbour’s wallet was stolen.

He said the same burglar had returned. “I seen him walking up my footpath, face covered with jersey heading to my neighbours again through my property!

“I waited out by my letter box with my bat … he walked out of my driveway (after not getting anything from my neighbours cars..again!)

“Then I popped out and nailed him multiple times with the bat!”

People in the comments were quick to congratulate Churchward for his actions, with one person saying the alleged thief is “going to be a bit sore”, while another described it as “neighbourhood watch at its best“.

There is no word on what happened to the alleged burglar, or whether Churchward could face charges as a result of his actions.