Surfer nabs suspected car burglar after paddling back to shore

A California surfer was stoked after she paddled back to shore and nabbed a man police said was breaking into her friend’s car.

Jolie Bernal and Maliny Soukkhassem told KEYT-TV what happened when Soukkhassem saw her car being burglarized at Surfer’s Point in Ventura Saturday.

“I kind of had to do a double-take because I actually couldn’t believe there was a burglar in my car.” Soukkhassem told the station Wednesday.

She said she alerted her friend.

“I started booking it, just paddling in,” Bernal told the station. “Thankfully, I caught a wave in and so I got in pretty quickly. So I pulled him by the collar and pulled him out and punched him and started yelling at him.”

She held the suspect until cops arrived.

Police arrested Gordon Gleason, 59, on suspicion of vehicle burglary, according to KEYT.

Police said nothing was stolen from the car. They said Gleason found Soukkhassem’s spare car key and used that to open the door.

“I think that adrenaline catches everyone and it’s something that’s inside all of us and when you’re feeling violated, like you want to get justice,” Bernal told the station.

Her exploits caught the attention of her alma mater Westmont College which sent out a tweet Wednesday that said: “Westmont alumna Jolie Bernal '09 catches a burglar red handed. No seriously."