Police Nab Suspect Accused Of Robbing The Elderly

Tuesday, October 16th 2007, 6:44 pm

By: News On 6

Tulsa police say they are glad to have a man behind bars who targeted elderly citizens, beat them up and took their money. News On 6 crime reporter Lori Fullbright reports the suspect didnâ€™t get much attention when he was arrested because Tulsa detectives were so busy trying to catch a group of parking lot robbers. But, in the process of working on that case, this suspect surfaced, and investigators realized he had his own little crime spree going.

One of his victims is 75-year-old Leo Harris of Tulsa. Despite knowing better, he recently gave a stranger a ride. When the man asked Leo for money from an ATM, he said no, let the man out of his car and went home.

Later that day, Leo was in his yard checking bird feeders when a man grabbed him from behind.

"He put his hands over my eyes, and I said is that you Ben? He's my friend and does that sometimes. He said, â€˜It's not Benâ€™ and I said who in the world is it? He said, â€˜you know me.â€™ And I said, I don't know you,â€ said robbery victim Leo Harris.

Leo was standing in a doorway, when the man started dragging and pulling him back into the garage.

"He wrestled me across this way, pulled me into that. I was fighting him all the way and yelling at the neighbors. Finally, I beat him off and he ran out through the front door,â€ said robbery victim Leo Harris.

Some teenagers in the neighborhood heard the commotion and saw the suspect take off, so they took off after him. They chased him over some fences until they cornered him in a backyard and got the victim's wallet back.

The wallet was missing $106, but, the credit cards and IDs were still inside. Tulsa police suspect the same man robbed three other elderly folks and knew some of them beforehand.

"He used to mow their yards and do handyman work, that's how he was making his living. He decided to expand on that and just break into their house,â€ said Tulsa Police Sgt. Dave Walker.

Tulsa police arrested 36-year-old Dave O'Malley in connection to the crimes. Records show he's been to prison seven times and spent about 14 years behind bars.

Leo Harris picked Dave O'Malley out of a photo lineup. Now he has advice for others, never give a ride to someone you don't know, no matter how nice they seem and keep your house doors locked at all times.

Watch the video: Police Nab Suspect Accused Of Robbing The Elderly