Robert Brooks is recovering from pain and bruises on his legs after his night of being a hero, when he noticed the basket of a shopper leaving the A and P as he was going in.
"There were no bags on his items, an employee said, 'stop that guy,'" Brooks said.
Police say that shopper was Phillip Gannaway with friend Roy Ottino in the waiting car, and that Gannaway had done some big shopping without paying.
"$350 worth of stuff, steaks, baby diapers, etc.," said Chief Robert Kugler, of the Saddle Brook Police Department.
Police say Gannaway left the basket, jumped in his car, and that's when Brooks jumped into action.
"I stood in front of his car, told him not to move, he hit me, backed up, and took off," Brooks said.
But the car hit black ice down the road and crashed into a snow bank. That's where police say they found the two men trying to dig out. They were arrested.
As for Brooks' actions, "I'm glad to have citizens here who care about doing the right thing," Kugler said.
The suspects have been charged with robbery and are being held in $15,000 bail apiece.
