Confused is how a Williams Lake man said he felt after he was the victim of an attempted robbery at a bank ATM Monday, Dec. 21 that resulted in him being bear-sprayed in the face.
Read more: Williams Lake RCMP investigating attempted robbery at bank ATM
“I was disheartened that I was so gullible,” Terry Cross, 70, told the Tribune Tuesday.
He’d come into the paper’s office to find out how he could say thank you to four women who came to his rescue and the BC Emergency Health Services paramedics who attended.
“I’m so thankful to everyone who helped me,” he said.
Cross noted at about 8:20 he went into the Scotiabank ATM to withdraw cash. There were two men sitting on the floor who told him they were warming up inside there.
“I said, ‘I can’t say I blame you,’ and thought maybe I could give them a bit of money,” Cross said.
After he took out the money one of the men jumped him and told him to give him the money and when Cross pushed him one of the two attacked him with the bear spray.
Cross ran out of the ATM screaming toward his car, jumped inside and locked it.
“I couldn’t see anything,” he recalled, noting it happened so fast, but it could have been worse.
The suspects did not manage to get any of his money and fled the scene.
Two women were nearby and one of them called the RCMP.
“I didn’t know who those two women are but I know Liz Rennie from the bank and Stacey Wilson from Hair on Second who also came to help me.”
When the paramedics arrived, Cross said they gave him baby shampoo to wash the bear spray out of his eyes and gave him some to take home.
Cross said the whole situation is sad.
“Those guys probably need more help than I do,” he added.
Christmas is a tough time for Cross who lost his wife Pat two years ago. They were married 49 years and he said he goes and visits her grave every single day.
“I really miss her. She was my best friend,” he said.
On Monday the RCMP said they were investigating the attempted robbery and had identified one of the suspects and that it was believed a third person was waiting outside when it happened.
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact the Williams Lake RCMP at 250-392-6211 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-0222-8477.
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