Patrons foil laundry robbery

Copyright © 2008
Gallup Independent
By Philip Stake
Staff writer

GALLUP — Patrons of an Aztec Laundromat tackled a would-be robber Monday. According to Gallup Police Officer Cindy Romancito’s report, the behavior of Harren J. Walker, 26, of Zuni, worried an employee when he repeatedly exchanged bills without doing any laundry, then lingered with watchful eyes as ensuing transactions put more money in the drawer. The woman working the register alerted a man working maintenance at the 1001 West Aztec Laundromat, as well as two male customers, to the visibly-drunk Walker’s peculiar behavior.

Very soon, when she had the register open, Walker lunged for it and grabbed a stack of $5 dollar bills then bolted toward the door, where the maintenance worker blocked his exit and the other two men tackled and held him until police arrived. As he fell to the ground the stack of bills fluttered out of his hand and into the air. All $115 of it was recovered, according to the report.

The maintenance worker said he received a bite and a few scrapes, but no other injuries were reported.

Walker was charged with robbery, a third degree felony, and booked at McKinley County Adult Detention Facility.