Quick thinking and neighborhood vigilance helped Rockdale deputies catch an alleged burglar red-handed Thursday morning.

A witness initially called dispatchers about a suspicious person on Wiggins Circle around 10:15 a.m., said RCSO Chief Deputy Rob Cordero.

When a deputy arrived on the scene, they spotted a vehicle matching the description given of the suspicious vehicle. The deputy made contact with the person who came out to the car — Atnsion Lyndon Gouveia, 22, of Lithonia.

"The witness who called it in had stated which house the person had come from. When deputies went to that house, they discovered there was forced entry to the rear of the house," said Cordero.

Gouveia did not resist arrest was taken into custody and charged with one count of burglary and one count of criminal attempt to commit burglary.

Deputies reportedly found Gouveia with items taken from the already-burglarized house. Investigators determined Gouveia had burglarized one house and attempted to burglarize another, said Cordero.

This was a prime example of ordinary citizens helping to deter and fight crime by keeping an eye out for one another, said Cordero. "An alert citizen, seeing something suspicious, called 911, which deputies responded to."

"That kind of watchfulness led to the arrest of a burglar. That’s what we hope for."