TU Student Rewarded For Helping Catch Bank Robber

By Lori Fullbright, The News On 6

TULSA, OK -- Being a Good Samaritan paid off for a TU student.

His actions helped police catch a bank robber and get the bank its money back.

The Oklahoma Banker's Association was so grateful, they wrote him a check this week.

Ravi Savitala is a first semester law school student at the University of Tulsa. He moved here from Oakland, California.

Back in January, when snow blanketed Tulsa, he had a case of cabin fever, so decided to walk to the bank less than a mile away to take care of his rent.

While he was there, the bank was robbed.

"I noticed the guy behind me. I was in line, just looking around. He walked out and the teller, as soon as he left, yells, hey, locks the doors, I just got robbed. My luck," said Savitala.

Ravi darted outside, got a description of the get-away vehicle and memorized the tag number.

Police used that information to track down and arrest this man, Keith Collins and get the bank's money back.

Ravi heard about the arrest from friends.

"They told me on Monday about the arrest, so I looked it up and when I saw his picture, I was like, it was him," he said.

Ravi has already shown up for court once and says if he needs to testify, he'll be glad to.

Even though police have bragged on him and the bank is thankful, Ravi blows off any suggestion he did something extraordinary.

"Got to do the right thing at some point. Would like to think at some point, on some level, everyone wants to do the right thing. Just tried to do the right thing, not a big deal," he said.

It was a big enough deal, that the Oklahoma Bankers Association gave Ravi a check this week for $500.

He didn't expect it, but, says it will come in handy when he studies abroad this summer.

The Bankers Association gives rewards of up to $2,000 for folks who help police catch bank robbers.