California couple lured thieves to their home to assault them with a bat, recorded it: police

FRESNO, Calif. -- They look like your typical caught-on-camera moments -- thieves taking advantage of a crime of opportunity.

But as Visalia, California, police Lt. Ron Epp showed KFSN, it's what the homeowners did next, that landed them in jail.

"They would run out, chase down that subject, assault that subject and recover their bike, but they would never call us," Epp said.

Investigators said former theft victims Corey Curnutt and Savannah Grillot lured thieves to their home, with an unattended bike, to take matters into their own hands.

"They're running down the street, yelling, getting into a fight in the middle of the night, which would obviously wake the neighbors up," Epp said.

Epp said the department was first alerted to the bait bike videos in July.

Clips posted to Curnutt's public YouTube account are what helped them make an arrest.

Investigators said there are at least four victims who were beaten with aluminum bats, but there could be more.

"They're reluctant victims, so they're not wanting to come out and say, 'yeah, I was stealing a bike and got assaulted,'" Epp said.

Epp said when it comes to enforcing the law, leave it to the professionals.

Both suspects are in the Tulare County jail, and face assault with a deadly weapon and conspiracy charges.