A Summerland man is the hero of the hour after running down a thief in Penticton Tuesday afternoon.
Al Messier said he was waiting in line at the bank yesterday when another man snatched a woman害羞草研究所檚 money out of her hands as the teller passed it to her, and ran out of the bank at a Toronto Dominion Branch in Power Centre.
It all happened so quickly, Messier said, that by the time the lady cried out and he realized what was happening, the thief was racing across the parking lot.
Messier said he chased after the thief without thinking.
害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檇 do it again. You don害羞草研究所檛 think, you just act,害羞草研究所� said Messier, adding that he tried to scare the thief as he chased him.
害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 not a runner, I am going to peter out real quick. That害羞草研究所檚 when I started screaming at him, stop and I won害羞草研究所檛 hurt you,害羞草研究所� said Messier. 害羞草研究所淗e jumped over the bushes at the end of the parking lot and I was thinking, 害羞草研究所榊ou害羞草研究所檝e got to be kidding me.害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟
In a Facebook post, Messier jokes that the thief must have been 害羞草研究所渟cared seeing this ugly dirty mug coming at him.害羞草研究所�
The thief eventually stopped running and handed Messier the stack of $100 bills.
Messier encouraged the thief to do the right thing and turn yourself in.
害羞草研究所淗e said no and kept walking away,害羞草研究所� said Messier in his post, who walked back to the woman, who was still in the parking lot. He said he was showered with hugs as he gave her back the money.
害羞草研究所淚 am filthy from working all day, she was just hugging me like crazy, wouldn害羞草研究所檛 let me go,害羞草研究所� said Messier. 害羞草研究所淪he was so overwhelmed. She tried giving me $100, but I said no, I don害羞草研究所檛 want your money.
害羞草研究所淚t felt good to make her feel so happy.害羞草研究所�
Messier said he ended up feeling sorry for the thief once he stopped running.
害羞草研究所淲hen he turned around, that害羞草研究所檚 when I felt kind of sorry for the guy. He was probably hungry. I felt bad for him. My anger went to instantly feeling sorry for the dude.害羞草研究所�
Corporal Don Wrigglesworth said a suspect was arrested, but when the RCMP contacted the victim for a statement so he could be charged, she declined.
害羞草研究所淪he was just happy to have her money back,害羞草研究所� said Wrigglesworth. But without that statement, he said the RCMP can害羞草研究所檛 bring charges even though the suspect is well-known to the police.
Witnesses, including the bank video, are part of the case, he said, but without the victim害羞草研究所檚 statement that it was actually a theft, they can害羞草研究所檛 proceed.
Wrigglesworth praised Messier and the other bystanders for being willing to get involved.
害羞草研究所淚t is awesome to see citizens step up and do the right thing,害羞草研究所� said Wrigglesworth.
