Criminal arrogance.(EXERCISING THE RIGHT)

Merlony Colaco, who owns a convenience store in Greencastle, Pennsylvania, has been busy catching criminals lately. But he may not get the medal he is owed; he may get jail time instead.

Several months ago after a series of break-ins at his store, Colaco began sleeping at the store, keeping a shotgun handy to catch the criminals. He did catch one of them too, after she broke glass to enter the store. The woman, Erica Lynch, turned on her two partners in crime, Josh Ingream and James Byrd, Jr., thus putting an end to a burglary spree the three were on.

In July, a new series of burglaries erupted at Colaco's store. The thieves stole cigarettes and ice, and threw a rock through a window. At 1:46 a.m. on August 2, three men bashed their way through the door with a crowbar and, though the store's alarm was buzzing loudly, began filling two trash cans with cigarettes.

The Chambersburg Public Opinion reported on the incident: "Remembering how he scared a previous robbery suspect and held her at bay, Colaco said he walked out to confront the men while holding his shotgun. But instead of being scared, one of the men approached him as if he didn't care about the gun." Colaco backed away from the bold intruder, and the man dashed outside. The next robber in line was even more bold. Before simply walking out of the store as the gun-wielding Colaco told him to stop, the man hoisted one of the trash cans filled with cigarettes.

The final thief took things a step too far. He threw his trash can at Colaco and then began to advance toward Colaco, ...