A man who was shot at by would-be car thieves in Winnipeg's Riverview neighbourhood on Monday night shows off where he was struck by a shotgun pellet. (CBC)

A Winnipeg man and his wife who confronted two would-be car thieves on Monday night put their lives at risk and should have put their own safety ahead of concern for their vehicle, police warned Tuesday.

The man, who CBC News is only identifying by his first name, John, was hit by a spray of shotgun pellets after confronting two teenage boys who threatened his wife with the gun after she came upon them breaking into the couple's car.

Around 10 p.m. CT on Monday, the wife heard people trying to break into the car outside the couple's Oakwood Avenue home in Winnipeg's Riverview neighbourhood.

She went outside to find one of the vehicle's windows smashed and two individuals who looked to be in their teens. When she started to tell them off, one of them waved the shotgun at her.

"He said, 'Well, I've got a shotgun,' and held it towards her, and she said, 'Well, go ahead, shoot," John said.

The woman fled inside and told her husband what happened. Initially, John didn't believe it was a real shotgun.

"I just assumed it was a pellet gun," he said. "I didn't think kids are packing sawed-off shotguns these days."

He said he chased the teens away down the back lane but soon discovered how real the gun was.

'Just do it'

"I heard one of the kids say, 'Just do it, do it,' and I felt this little sting on my chest," he said.

Most of the pellets missed John, but he was taken to hospital and treated for minor injuries, police said.

Police were called to the scene of the confrontation and used a tracking dog to try and locate the teens.

No arrests have been made, and the major crimes unit is investigating.

The shotgun and some clothes were recovered by officers from a back lane near the Oakwood Ave. home.

In a statement, police cautioned people to avoid confronting anyone who is committing a crime because they could be putting their own safety at risk.

Anyone with information regarding the incident is asked to contact investigators at 204-986-6219 or Crime Stoppers at 204-786-TIPS (8477).