Scout Leader Plays Role of Hero in Attempted Theft

It had all of the makings of a Christmas blockbuster: Heroism. Sacrifice. Fast cars. Even a Grinch-like plot to thwart the spirit of the season.

About 6 p.m. Tuesday, a young man exited the Sport Chalet at Media City Center, running by the gift-wrap table operated by Boy Scout Troop 209, which for the last four years has used the endeavor to raise thousands of dollars for summer camp and other troop expenses.

According to Burbank police, the man snatched the Scouts’ donation box, sprinted for the parking garage and hopped into a waiting car.

Cue ‘70s theme music--with syncopated jingle-bells--and enter assistant Scoutmaster James Renfro, 47, of Burbank.

Renfro, a studio lighting tech, joined another scoutmaster in blocking the car’s exit from the garage. As the vehicle sped toward him, Renfro jumped on the hood, demanding that the suspects drop the cash.

“That’s because he had seen that movie ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark,’ ” said Burbank Police Sgt. Frank Reilman. “No, actually, I’m kidding about that--but in that movie I think Harrison Ford did the same thing.”

As the car made a U-turn and sped erratically back into the parking garage, Renfro said, he hung onto the wiper blades and thought to himself: “What are you doing?”

“But they had my boys’ money,” he added. “And you don’t steal from my boys.”

As the two young men in the car yelled at Renfro to get off, he yelled back, telling them he wouldn’t let go until they dropped the donation box.

Eventually they did drop the box--which, according to Renfro, contained $239 in cash--and slowed down enough for him to jump off unharmed.

The Scouts were able to get the car’s license number, and Renfro’s son was able to identify the alleged thief--they had apparently attended the same high school. Police have identified two suspects and are continuing their investigation.

Reilman said police plan to make arrests soon. The suspects will probably be charged with petty theft and assault with a deadly weapon, he said.

Renfro, who has an artificial hip from an old motorcycle accident, said his action embodied the Boy Scout tenet to “teach by example--because that’s the most effective way to teach.”

Andrew Messer, executive for the Boy Scouts’ Verdugo Hills Council, acknowledged the act of bravery, but added that someone could have been seriously injured.

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“We’re very happy it turned out the way it did,” he said, “but we certainly don’t advocate taking those kinds of actions to save a money box, because the Scout leader could have been hurt. It’s better to leave those things to law enforcement.”

Paul Lacayo, the Verdugo Hills Council’s senior district executive, made a similar point, but also noted item 10 of Scout Law, which states, “A Scout can face danger even if he is afraid.”

“Hey, it takes a lot of guts to get on top of a moving car,” he said.