Features

Man intervenes in bank robbery, solely saves some of the loot

The Associated Press
Friday January 11, 2002

STOCKTON — Most 76-year-old men are taking life easy. Not Edward Christopher. 

Wednesday authorities held a news conference to introduce Christopher as the man who single-handedly saved some of the loot when he intervened in a bank robbery. 

Christopher took on two robbers Tuesday at a Bank of America branch, and managed to rip open one of several bags, spilling about 90 percent of the contents. The thieves escaped with an undisclosed amount of cash, said Doug Anderson, a Stockton Police Department spokesman. No arrests have been made. 

Christopher, who fought the Germans hand to hand during World War II, said he’s not crazy about police, reporters or even Bank of America, where he has banked since 1958. But he said he likes bank robbers even less, especially when they interrupt him when he’s cashing a check. 

“I was trained to kill and I’ve never been deprogrammed,” he said. 

Christopher tussled with the robbers when he saw them taking money from a teller. He wasn’t hurt, and he said he’d do it again. 

Police officers do not encourage witnesses to intervene, preferring them to lay low and get information that will help law enforcement.