58-year-old bank robbery suspect chases customer with butcher knife

HARPER WOODS, Mich. (WJBK) - Police say this wasn't the usual suspect when you think of a bank robber.

A 58-year-old woman with a knife seemed unbelievable -- until she pointed that knife at the only customer in the bank.

"She had a big butcher knife," said witness Renee Butler.

It was 2 p.m. on Monday and Renee Butler had just finished her banking when a 58 year old woman and her knife marched straight to the teller at this Harper Woods Citizens Bank on Vernier.

"He kind of chuckled at her because he wasn't sure if she was serious," Butler said.

dep. chief ted stager /harper woods

"The teller hesitated for a moment not knowing if it was real or not," said Dep. Chief Ted Stager, Harper Woods. "And we can only assume by the fact that the teller wasn't acting fast enough, the suspect focused her attention to a customer next to her."

"He kind of irritated her when he didn't give her the money," Butler said. "So when she did that she ran after me with the knife and chased me around the bank."

Butler says she used posters inside the bank to keep the knife-wielding robber at bay.

"The teller saw this and re-engaged with the suspect and actually offered up money to the suspect to get her away from the customer," Stager said.

"I'm screaming, 'Give her the money, give her the money,'" Butler said.

At this point police have been called and the teller puts money on the counter. Hidden in the money is a dye pack.

"When it exploded that's when the police jumped in and demanded that she drop the knife," Butler said.

"We actually captured her, detained and arrested her before she left the bank," Stager said.

Police arrived less than a minute later and took her into custody without a fight ending this attempted robbery without any injuries.

And that is the good news in this no one was hurt, but that customer says she was pretty shaken up by whole thing and the bank should have done more to keep her safe.

But the police say the bank did everything right in this case.