Publican rugby tackles alleged robber

An alleged bank robber was foiled by Collie publican Mark McCarthy on Monday when the Crown Hotel owner tackled the man to the ground.

Mr McCarthy has been labelled the town’s “hero” for the dramatic citizen’s arrest and holding the accused down until police arrived at the scene.

Police allege a 33-year-old Collie man stole about $10,000 from the Collie Miners’ Credit Union while pretending to be armed with a gun.

He was charged with armed robbery and robbery.

Police said the accused jumped the bank’s counter and stole money from the cash draws.

He then allegedly took $500 from a separate Collie bank on Forrest Street.

Mr McCarthy said he was out walking his puppy, Oscar, when a staff member from the credit union yelled to the street: “We’ve been robbed”.

“There was a guy running across the street to the train tracks and I took off after him, ” Mr McCarthy said.

“I ducked into Mick Murray’s office to let them know he was next door and then he came out of the bank and ran straight towards me.

“I grabbed him, chucked him on the ground, then another guy came over and grabbed an arm and we held him down until cops arrived.”

Mr McCarthy said he hadn’t planned his action and acted on instinct.

“It was adrenaline, when I chased him I didn’t know what was going to happen I thought I might see him get in a car and get the rego, ” he said.

“I didn’t know if he’d be armed but I thought he probably wouldn’t be.

“I wrapped him up, got my foot under his foot and we both went down — the cops came pretty quickly after that.”

The accused appeared in court on Tuesday and was remanded in custody to appear in the Stirling Gardens Magistrates Court on March 5.