Collie armed holdup drama: hero speaks

The man said he had stopped to talk to a woman while out walking his dog near the Collie Miner's Credit Union just before 10.30am Monday when a woman ran from the building, screaming 'we've been robbed'.

"I saw a guy hightail it across the road," he told the Collie Mail.

"I asked the lady I was talking with to hold my dog and I said, 'I'll see what I can do'.

"He had a bit of a head start on me but I chased him.

"I saw him go into the (BankWest) bank and I wasn't aware if he was armed so wasn't about to rush him.

"So I went into (a nearby) office and told them to call the police.

"So he's gone in and apparently jumped the counter, grabbed the cash and as he ran out he ran straight into me.

"I just tackled him, got him on the ground and another bloke jumped on him too.

"I've put a bit of weight on lately so I think once I had him on the ground he knew there wasn't much point fighting."

The man said the police arrived within seconds.

"He had a bundle of $100 notes in his hand," he said.

"As I pulled his arm down I realised he had this handful of cash and he let it go. 

"The woman from the bank had followed him out and grabbed it all back."

The reluctant hero said "it was a natural reaction" and in hindsight he might have been a bit more careful.

"He could have had a syringe or a knife or anything, so it might not have been the smartest thing to do," he said.

"But I hate thieves and I'm glad he was caught."

Collie Senior Sergeant Mike Dean described the actions of the bystanders as "highly commendable".

He said a 33-year-old man had been charged with armed robbery.

Snr Sgt Dean said both sites were shut down immediately while forensic officers examined them.

Staff at both sites were shaken but not injured he said.