A hitchhiker is behind bars and two families are breathing sighs of relief after a man entered the two homes unannounced and stole a car last week.

Brantley Assistant Chief Drew Morgan said that he received a call last Wednesday afternoon just after 3:15 saying that someone was attempting to steal a car from Brantley Town Hall.

Morgan, who was at town hall at the time, said he went outside to check out the situation, when a woman pulled up said told him the suspect was near Main Street Medical.

“I immediately got in my car and went up toward Dr. Tompkins’,” he said. “I detained the suspect and got him cuffed to find out what was going on.”

Morgan said the suspect, 44-year-old Todd Eric Fuentes, allegedly entered two homes on Main Street without permission and eventually stole a car.

“He went into the house next to Dr. Tompkins,” Morgan said. “The lady advised that he just walked into her house and said that he needed to speak with a local pastor.”

Once he left the first home, he went to the house next door, Morgan said.

“The homeowner and her daughter were in another room,” he said. “They thought it was the younger daughter.”

Morgan said Fuentes found keys to the family’s 2009 Honda Accord and took off with the vehicle.

“The neighbor witnessed it,” he said. “She tried to stop him, but he had already made it down the driveway, but she told the homeowner the car had been stolen, and they called 911.”

Morgan said Fuentes left a bag behind the Inland convenience store and went back to get it, which helped lead to his capture.

“The mother and daughter went after him,” he said. “He took off running and that’s when I caught him.”

Fuentes is being charged with the misdemeanor charge of criminal trespassing I and felony charges of burglary II and theft of a motor vehicle.