Army veteran Rick White was shopping at his local Manchester Walmart when the screams of a lady alerted him to a crisis occurring right in front of him. That woman was Rhonda Healey, 51, who had been looking at greeting cards when a robber stole her pocketbook.
When the robber noticed Healey’s wallet in her wide-open bag in front of her shopping cart, he believed he’d found an easy prey, but White, an Army Drill Sergeant who had just returned home after a 9-month deployment in Afghanistan, was determined to teach him differently.
“Stop him, he has my wallet!” shouted a distraught Healey. Hearing Healey’s screams, the 43-year-old Army veteran sprung into action, pursuing the much younger suspect, who he observed fleeing in a black hooded sweatshirt.
Before the purse robber realized what hit him, White shoved him to the ground as the bandit tried to flee.
After seizing the accused’s arm and dragging him to the ground, White locked him down in an arm-bar, subduing him until cops came while witnesses photographed the amazing spectacle.
Cops finally recognized the culprit as 24-year-old Alan White, who is not to be confused with or related to the good Samaritan Army veteran Rick White. Alan White, a homeless man, was caught and charged with stealing.
Rick White stated that he grabbed him and tossed him to the ground. The robber attempted to strike and grab him. Rob sat on him until the cops arrived.
White went on to describe what happened in the Walmart aisle that day, saying he placed him in a wrist lock and an arm-bar, and when he did that, it knocked the fight right out of him.
The veteran, a Manchester Department of Public Works (DPW) employee who also works part-time as a bouncer at a Manchester club, was glad he could assist in returning the woman’s wallet to her.
With all the resources available, there is no reason to steal, White said of the reportedly homeless suspect. It wasn’t a huge deal to him. He was simply delighted he could assist, he remarked modestly of his own heroic acts.
Healey’s wallet was returned to her, and she was glad that Rick White was at the right place at the right moment, prepared to stop the burglar. With everything going on, she remarked, it’s awesome to hear there are truly decent individuals out there.
Certainly, this veteran is the type of man you want at your side when disaster arises. He is not hesitant to jump in and take care of business in an often unfair environment. Sir, you did an excellent job.
