CAMAS, Wash. -- A 66-year-old woman wrestled a robber to the ground Wednesday, giving police time to arrive at the scene and take him into custody, police said.Mary Chamberlain, of Camas, chased down Joshua Crowley, 22, of Washougal, after a Kentucky Fried Chicken clerk described the suspect after being robbed at knifepoint, said Mitch Lackey of the Camas Police Department.Police said Crowley is accused of displaying a knife and demanding money from a female clerk at 3:12 p.m. Wednesday.
After being given an undisclosed amount of cash, Crowley allegedly fled the store on foot, Lackey said.The clerk who was robbed immediately called 911 to report the robbery and alerted the manager, KPTV in Beaverton reported. The manager ran outside and spotted the robber running away from the restaurant, Lackey said.She then alerted a customer who was in the drive-up lane and a passing car and pointed out the suspect, Lackey said. The manager and other witnesses started to give chase.Chamberlain, who had been driving past the restaurant, and her passenger, Sophia Morrow, followed the robber in their car. Chamberlain let Morrow out on foot and drove around the block, where she spotted Crowley, he said.Chamberlain then got out and began to wrestle on the ground with Crowley as she attempted to detain him. Two Camas officers arrived almost immediately and took the suspect into custody, Lackey said.Officers from Camas Police Department, Washougal Police Department and Clark County Sheriff's Office assisted in the search for the robber, he said.Crowley was arrested on suspicion of armed robbery four minutes after the initial 911 call was placed, he said.Officers recovered the stolen cash and the weapon in Crowley's possession when he was taken into custody, Lackey said. A wig and hat were also recovered in a nearby garbage can.Although officers credited Chamberlain's involvement as key to such a quick arrest, police advised against such actions.No one was injured in the robbery.
-- Edited by Crazypickney at 23:25, 2008-03-20