Frustrated Studio City neighbors confront suspected mail thief, video shows

STUDIO CITY, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- A group of neighbors in Studio City were fed up following weeks of their mail being stolen, but they say they were finally able to catch the suspected thief red-handed.

The residents along Longridge Avenue say one of their mail carriers was robbed of his mail key weeks ago, and say they came face-to-face with the suspect Tuesday night. Part of that confrontation was captured on video.

"You like to steal mail? You like to steal mail?" one of the residents can be heard in the footage as he confronted the man residents believe has been stealing their mail.

The situation quickly escalated when the resident pepper-sprayed the suspect.

Timothy Brehmer, the neighbor who shot the video, described those moments.

"I popped up to film him... and he tried to swat the phone away... He went to swing, missed, I sprayed him again. He swung and missed and then I was like alright, I'm going to unload it. That didn't work, so then he charged at me," Brehmer said.

At some point, several windows of the suspect's car were broken by one of the residents.

Despite the confrontation and a call to police, the suspected mail thief managed to get away.

Residents hope video of the encounter will help catch the suspect.