A man has been branded a hero for the way he dealt with an attempted bank robber.
Source: ABC / Woodland Police Department
On Monday morning (May 22, 2023), Michael Armus Sr. went to a Bank of the West branch in California to deposit a check. But when he got to the front of the line, the 69-year-old realized that something was seriously amiss—a robbery was happening.
Armus has since talked about what he did when faced with the attempted robber, showing that a small act of kindness can make a big difference.
Armus got a feeling that something was wrong when he saw a guy a couple of windows away wearing a shirt over his face.
Source: ABC / Woodland Police Department
The police said the guy trying to rob the bank handed a note to one of the bank workers, saying he had a weapon. Armus noticed that the bank worker was glancing back and forth between him and the robber. So, he felt like he needed to step in and help.
"You know when you're in a bad situation, you feel it. [...] I had to say something, I had to do something," he tells ABC7 Chicago.
However, what Armus did probably surprised both the person trying to rob the bank and the others in the bank as well.
After realizing he recognized the suspect as 42-year-old Eduardo Placensia - a man who used to live next door to him around 20-25 years ago and someone who was friends with his daughter - Armus began to speak with Placensia. "He said he had no job and, 'There's nothing in this town for me'," Armus recalls.
Armus then led Placensia outside where he hugged him. "He started crying, and then I stepped away from him and swoop, here come all the cops. No sirens just lights everywhere," Armus told KCRA. The 42-year-old was then arrested and taken away by Woodland police, and booked at the Yolo County jail in California.
And that's the story, folks! Share your thoughts in the comments below. Don't forget to like and spread the article with your loved ones. Stay tuned for more content like this from Aubtu. Thank you!