2 CATCH CRIMINAL FOR POLICE.

Byline: Bhavna Mistry Daily News Staff Writer

Trent Slafter and Matt Stewart were on their way to play a paint-ball war with six friends, but instead of pretend warriors they became successful foes of crime.

Dressed in military-style fatigues, the Lancaster residents stopped for breakfast March 20 at the Acton McDonald's. They were in the parking lot waiting for their friends to finish eating when four teen-agers broke into a van, then ran when the owner started screaming.

Slafter, 21, and Stewart, 20, pursued the thieves across the northbound Antelope Valley Freeway lanes and into a school parking lot, where they caught one. Sheriff's deputies caught the others, after tips from more citizens.

``I just saw that happening, and it upset me,'' Slafter said. ``I just did it. I didn't think of it as a big deal.''

``It was pretty cool that we caught them,'' Stewart said. ``It's our 15 minutes of fame.''

At the Antelope Valley Mall Safety Expo on Saturday, the two received certificates of commendation and appreciation from Capt. Joe Hladky of the Palmdale sheriff's station.

``It's very gratifying to see citizens take an active role when they see criminal activity occurring,'' Hladky said. ``One of the things we really enjoy is developing a partnership with the community.''

Jumping fences, Slafter and Stewart chased the thieves under the freeway's southbound lanes at Crown Valley Road, then across the northbound lanes, then onto the grounds of nearby High Desert Junior High School/Vasquez High School.

The two men and their friends, who had jumped into a car to chase the fugitives, found one suspect hiding under a car outside the school.

``He was trying to hide, but it wasn't working,'' Stewart said.

Deputies in patrol cars, California Highway Patrol officers and a Sheriff's Department helicopter searched for the other teen-agers and finally captured them shortly after noon on a horse trail.

Officials said the four teen-agers, all from Palmdale, drove to McDonald's in a stolen vehicle that broke down soon after they left the restaurant.

Then they broke a window in a van and were spotted inside it by restaurant employees, officials said.

Officials said that the teen caught by Stewart, Slafter and their friends had been wanted by the Los Angeles County sheriff's and probation departments for more than four months.

``It felt good,'' Slafter said. ``It felt like we had helped out.''

Slafter, a bartender at Black Angus restaurant, said that he previously has witnessed crime, but this was the first time he ever got involved in capturing criminal. He said his Jeep was burglarized about two years ago and he empathized with the van owner who was screaming.

``It upset me,'' Slafter said. ``I know what it's like. This was broad daylight.''

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Photo

PHOTO Sheriff's Capt. Joe Hladky congratulates Trent Slafter, left, and Matt Stewart for catching a criminal. The two were honored Saturday.

John McCoy/Daily News