Listen to Tom Maxwell who took action to apprehend a robbery suspect at his convenience store in Vernon:
A Vernon robbery suspect — who was apprehended by a store owner last week — will return to court Thursday for a bail hearing.
32 year old Heron Taylor was in court Monday, facing five charges of including robbery, possession of stolen property, assault with a weapon, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle and flight from a peace officer, after attempting to rob Charlie’s Grocery on 32nd Avenue Friday afternoon.
A man pulled out a framing hammer and demanded money from the female attendant, who was also the store’s co owner.
Pictured: Tom Maxwell, Charlie’s Grocery owner
The woman told her husband, Tom Maxwell, who was in the back, they were being robbed, and Maxwell pursued the suspect outside the store and held him until police arrived.
“My wife Louise opened up the passenger door and grabbed the hammer off the seat, turned off the vehicle, and grabbed the keys.I pushed him down to the passenger side and I laid on him and I said ‘You know, you’re not going anywhere until the police get here,'” Maxwell told Global Okanagan.
A neighbor also helped restrain the man, before police arrived to apprehend the suspect.
“It was a relief. The adrenaline was able to calm down,” says Maxwell.
Maxwell says it’s the second time their store has been robbed since they have owned it in the last year.
At the time of the arrest, police said the man may be responsible for a recent string of robberies.
Some people are calling him a hero — but Tom Maxwell doesn’t see it that way.
He says he was acting on instinct.
“For me, it’s personal. I mean this is about our business. We work hard at it, and we care about this community, and when some guy comes in and threatens my wife and tries to steal from us, it is personal,” Maxwell told Beach Radio News.
“I know some people have been calling us heroes and stuff like that, and I think the reason that’s happening is because this is happening all the time and these guys are just getting away with it, so when someone finally stands up to them, I think the community sees that as something very positive, “adds Maxwell.
