Restaurant patrons, workers team up to catch a thief

ADRIAN, Mich. - Police in southern Michigan say several restaurant customers and employees chased and caught a man who'd just stolen several hundred dollars in the strong-arm robbery.

Adrian police Deputy Chief Laurence Van Alstine III says that John Stepansky entered the front door of the Old China Supper Club on Saturday evening and asked an employee for change.

Alstine says that when the employee opened the cash register, Stepansky "grabbed her in a bear hug, pulled several hundred dollars from the register and ran."

Alstine says patrons and restaurant workers chased the 43-year-old local man and held him until police arrived.

Stepansky is jailed with a $100,000 bond. His probable cause hearing is scheduled for Oct. 20.