Couples Kindness Ends In Robbery

Saturday, December 30th 2006, 8:59 pm

By: News On 6

A 78 and 81 year old married couple gets robbed inside their Tulsa home. They say they realize they made a mistake that this time, cost them their wallets, but could've cost them their lives.

News on 6 crime reporter Lori Fullbright takes a look back at their case in the to Catch a Crook report.

Joanne is still in the Christmas spirit, despite a recent visit from scrooge. A woman knocked on their door early Wednesday morning, she was with a young person she said was her son, and they said they had car trouble and needed to use the phone. Joanne's husband, Greg, took her a cordless phone, then, they asked to come in out of the cold, then to use the bathroom, then for some food. That's when Greg saw the woman grab his wallet and take off. He tried to go after her, but he has a prosthetic leg, lost his balance, fell and hit his head.

"I instinctively tried to chase after her. In my prime, I could've caught her easily," Greg said.

"He caught me," said Joanne.

"That was a whole lot better catch," Greg said.

They still have their sense of humor, but weren't very happy when they realized the thieves also took Joanne's purse out of her walker.

They know it could've been worse.

"To put it in a type of perspective, we were lucky. They did not try to hurt us and this is much luckier than a lot of people. I would like to be first in the firing squad if they're standing up against the wall," Joanne said.

They say cases like this sour the milk of human kindness and they feel they can no longer be the people who are willing to help others who claim to be in need, and they want others to learn that lesson as well.

"The police really emphasized and our children emphasized, don't open the door, to put it politely," Joanne said.

If you have information about this case, call Crimestoppers at 596-COPS. Your anonymous tip could earn you a cash reward.