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An article in Reporter-Times, a newspaper for Martinsville and Morgan County in Indiana, reported the capture of a bank robber. My cousin Joe Stout helped them catch the bank robber. Since newspaper articles don't stay on the web, I'm putting the contents on my web site. I've already sited the original reference, and I'll provide a link to the original article for as long as the article remains online.

National City Bank robbery suspect apprehended

Joe Stout Receives an AwardA Mooresville man foiled a robbery outside of National City Bank in Heartland Crossing Monday, when he obtained part of a license plate number that led to the eventual arrest of Jeremiah Abell, Indianapolis, on Tuesday, according to Hendricks County Sheriff’s Department reports.

According to the reports, McDonald’s employee Sammy Warmoth was attempting to make a deposit for the restaurant and was in the bank parking lot when he was confronted by a masked man who demanded the money. The man allegedly hit 63-year-old Warmoth in the head with a loaded .380 handgun, took the bag containing $5,600 and, after pointing the weapon at witnesses and bank staff, drove off in a mid-1990s Chevrolet Cavalier.

But not before witness Joe Stout caught the tail end of the license plate number.

After police ran the number with different prefixes, they uncovered a red/maroon Chevrolet owned by Shasta Myers of Camby, who had also been involved in a robbery case in Indianapolis in 2004, a report states.

During an interview with her parents, police were told that the suspect was likely the boyfriend of their younger daughter, Ashley Myers, police said. The boyfriend, Jeremiah, had recently been released from prison and was employed at the same McDonald’s as Warmoth, according to a report.

The report states that police were led to 7923 Puckett Lane in Camby, where Abell, 26, was found sitting on a bed in the back bedroom of the house. Once in custody, Abell admitted to the crime, the report states. Police recovered $1,294 of the stolen money.

Abell was charged with armed robbery and criminal recklessness with a deadly weapon, according to police.

During a phone interview Friday, Stout said he simply did what he thought was right and that he would have jumped through the open car window if the robber had not had a gun.

“I’d do the same tomorrow or the next day,” he said.

Stout said National City Bank staff had invited him back to the bank to give him a card. He said he asked if there would be money involved and that, if there was, he would rather the money go to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. The bank obliged, he said.

“I figured that would be a good thing,” he said.

Stout was also honored by the Hendricks County Sheriff’s Department on Wednesday and received a certificate of recognition and a medal from the department, a press release states.

Lt. Jim Yetter of the sheriff’s department said that, not only did Stout’s actions lead to an arrest, he also aided a victim and helped solve a bank robbery within 24 hours, Yetter said.

“It’s pretty incredible,” he said. “That would not have happened if he wouldn’t have supplied the license plate information and vehicle description.”

Yetter said that citizens and police officers working together is a key component of law enforcement.

“It’s extremely important,” Yetter said. “This is a perfect example.”