Man shot by thief trying to stop car break-in in Orange

ORANGE, Calif. (FOX 11 / CNS) - A 42-year-old resident of Orange was shot Monday while chasing a thief who broke into his car, but he is expected to survive, police said.

The man, whose name was not released, was apparently getting ready to leave for work about 4 a.m. when he noticed the suspect rifling through his Toyota Prius in the driveway in the 2500 block of north Skytop Court, said Sgt. Phil McMullin of the Orange Police Department.

The victim chased the suspect to Portico Terrace and Hawksfield Way, where the shooting occurred, McMullin said. The man, who was shot in the upper body, got help from a neighbor who called 911, and paramedics took him to a hospital, McMullin said.

Police discourage crime victims from chasing suspects, preferring they call 911 right away, McMullin said.

"We hope that people will call the police; we don't know who these people are, and it's better to call the police and request that we come,'' McMullin said.

The neighborhood of pricey homes has a low crime rate, the sergeant said.

"It's very rare to have something like that happen in that neighborhood,'' he said.

Anyone with information helpful to investigators was asked to call police at (714) 744-7571.

Portions of video used in this story are restricted to the Los Angeles area.