Two brothers were stabbed early Tuesday in Gorst after confronting a catalytic-converter thief, according to the Kitsap County Sheriff's Office.
The brothers, 54 and 51, were staying overnight at Beto's Tire Services when they heard a loud noise and encountered a man trying to remove a catalytic converter from a car with a saw.
One of the brothers was armed and confronted the would-be thief with a gun, according to authorities.
"Since the suspect was initially cooperative, they put the gun away and armed themselves with a floor jack handle while waiting for the police to arrive," the Sheriff's Office said in a post on Facebook. "While waiting, the suspect suddenly pulled a knife and stabbed each of the brothers. The victim who was holding the jack handle used it against the suspect to stop the attack."
Deputies arrived within five minutes and took the suspect into custody without further incident, the sheriff's office said.
Both victims were transported to hospitals with serious injuries and are in stable condition, police said.
The man accused of trying to steal the catalytic converter was treated for less serious injuries and booked into the Kitsap County Jail on two counts of first-degree assault.
Catalytic-converter theft is skyrocketing locally and nationwide, as values of the devices' materials soar.
