Homeowners' dogs help catch burglary suspect in N. Harris Co.

SPRING, TX (KTRK) -- A burglary suspect gave himself up when confronted by a homeowner and his three dogs Sunday in north Harris County, say investigators.

It happened at a home in the 1300 block of Bishops Place in the Glennlock Farms subdivision.

Jim Daniels said he was upstairs, and his wife was downstairs still asleep. He said he heard the dogs barking. Video surveillance inside the home shows a figure at the door. The Daniels' three lab reduces heard barking.

"They're very protective of the home," said Daniels. "That's when Emma got a real guttural bark."

Seconds later, Daniels said he saw a man later identified as James Dean Chapman, 35, crawling up his stairs, trying to get away from the growling dogs. Daniels said he grabbed the first thing closets to him, and autographed Houston Aeros hockey stick.

"He just sat on the stairs, because Emma was on the landing and Emma wasn't letting him move," said Daniels.

"The burglary suspect found himself in the middle of 3 mad dogs and a homeowner armed with a hockey stick," said Harris County Precinct 4 Asst. Chief Mark Herman. "The suspect probably made a good decision and surrendered until deputy constables arrived."

When deputy constables got to the home, Chapman was arrested. Once they looked at surveillance video, they say Chapman was seen ringing the doorbell, looking into a window and then walking to the street out of the camera's view. They say Chapman got into the home through an unlocked back door. His vehicle was located a few blocks away.

Chapman was charged with burglary of a habitation and booked into the Harris County Jail.