Police make arrests in violent Raleigh ATM robbery
RALEIGH (WTVD) -- The Raleigh Police Department said Friday it has charged two men and two juveniles in a violent ATM robbery November 25.
Investigators circulated surveillance pictures of the suspects in December.
The robbery happened at an ATM near the intersection of Trawick Road and New Bern Avenue after 9:30 p.m.
Police say the 48-year-old man had just taken money out of the ATM when a man walked up, punched him in the face and stole his wallet and the cash he had withdrawn.
"One of them ran up really fast as I turned and he punched me really hard against the face. I've never been punched in my life. I mean in my whole life. And then two of them came up and they said, 'where's your money?' I said, 'He just took my money. He took my wallet I don't have any money,'" said the victim in a 911 call.
The other two men then kicked him and threatened him with a rod and took his watch.
The robbers ran away when another ATM customer drove up.
When Bill Smith drove up to the ATM he saw two people attacking a man who had just gotten cash.
"It's two against one, one of them with a stick. This guy's on the ground," said Good Samaritan Bill Smith.
Smith said he flashed on his high beams and drove his car toward the attackers and they ran.
He and his passenger jumped out, called 911 and then handed the phone to the victim.
"They took a stick and they literally were getting ready to hit me in the head. I mean they, they brought back in karate style they were getting ready, and I would have died. They would have killed me. I would have just been a bloody mess," said the victim.
Detectives have now charged 21-year-old Dondree Lee Dickens and 18-year-old Cornelius Isaiha Crumel, who are both from Nash County. The juveniles are aged 14 and 15.
Each of the four faces one count of robbery with a dangerous weapon and one count of conspiracy to commit robbery.
Crumel was arrested in Nash County and processed at the detention center there prior to being transported to Wake County. All four suspects were taken into custody within the past three days.
The victim calls Bill Smith his guardian angel, which may be okay with Smith. Just don't call him a hero.
"Absolutely not. Absolutely not," said Smith. "The cops who caught these people, they're heroes. The way they were behaving then [the suspects], it's a wonderful thing to have them off the street."
The victim told ABC11 that he's recovered physically, but is still scarred emotionally. Still, he said he's praying for the people he believes might have killed him if Smith hadn't shown up.
"I'm glad we intervened. I'm glad the beating didn't go any farther than it did," said Smith. "I wish the victim well."
ABC11 has learned that police have also charged the suspects with snatching a woman's purse at another New Bern Avenue shopping center hours before the ATM attack.
