NATCHEZ — A downtown homeowner held a man burglarizing his property at gunpoint Saturday morning until police arrived.

Natchez police said the suspect, Joshua McCloud, 28, of 224 Luck Road, Ferriday, faces charges on four counts of burglary, one within a dwelling and the other three for vehicular burglary, and a misdemeanor charge of malicious mischief.

The offenses took place at 217 High St., authorities said.

The homeowner, Michael Blattner, said he was asleep at approximately 7 to 8 a.m. Saturday when his wife heard what she said sounded like someone rapping a doorknocker.

Blattner, who lives in a gated, private house, said he doubted anyone would scale the gates to get inside, but upon investigation found the doors to their Chevrolet Suburban open.

“I went out to investigate,and I brought my pistol. I happened to glance into the garage and saw the door of my other car open and the guy in it,” Blattner said. “I had the gun on him and made him lay on the ground.

“This guy came about two seconds away from being shot, because I told him if he even flinched I was going to shoot him.”

Blattner said McCloud complied until police arrived. Blattner said recordings from his home surveillance cameras later showed that McCloud had found a set of keys in one of the cars and was trying to use the keys to get inside the house.

McCloud was arrested at approximately 10 a.m. Saturday and brought to the Natchez Police Department for questioning.

Blattner said he has always felt safe in Natchez, but this was an unfortunate incident.

“This is the first time it’s ever happened in the 10 years we’ve been here,” Blattner said. “The police did a wonderful job. They were here in five or 10 minutes with five or six cars here, but the whole time they were here the tourist busses were passing by. It’s just another unfortunate incident that doesn’t help our tourism and economy,” Blattner said.