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Business Owner Surprises 2 Teens Trying To Steal Car

NEW BRIGHTON (KDKA) - When two teenagers decided to steal a car from a Beaver County salvage yard, they had no idea what was in store for them.

In fact, when police arrived, they were glad to see them because the owner of the business showed them the business end of his revolver.

According to police, last Saturday afternoon, Albert Januszkiewiz, of Ohioville, and Cole Sloan, of Beaver Falls, both 19-years-old, tried to steal a 1998 Ford Explorer.

Dan Donawitz, the owner of the auto parts business of the same name in New Brighton, told KDKA-TV's Brenda Waters that he heard a noise outside while sitting at his desk.

When he looked up at the surveillance monitor, he saw two men in one of the cars in the yard.

"So, I went out the back door, they had the vehicle running, ready to pull out. [I] just pulled the revolver out and stopped them," Donawitz said.

Donawitz said he never fired a shot, but the teens were panic stricken.

Donawitz Auto Parts is a family-owned and run business and there have been a rash of break-ins over the last six months.

investigators believe the guys scaled a fence to get inside the salvage yard, but they were being watched by cameras mounted on the outside of the building.

"I held them there. I just had them go face down in the dirt until the patrolman came and they took care of it," Donawitz said.

Januszkiewiz and Sloan face numerous charges including, conspiracy to commit theft and criminal trespass.

Neither could post their $7,500 bail and remain at the Beaver County Jail.

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