Firemen Get Credit for Thwarting a Robbery

Two Burbank-area transients will be arraigned today on robbery charges after three Burbank firemen caught them trying to steal $6,000 from a man outside a Burbank bank, police said Wednesday.

David Williams, 38, was arrested Tuesday morning in the parking lot at Crocker Bank on North San Fernando Boulevard after three firefighters, returning on their engine from a trip to buy groceries, wrestled him to the ground, police said.

Williams and Raymond Krzyzopolski, 22, allegedly had attempted to snatch a paper bag containing the money from a messenger for Active Help, a local employment firm, police said.

When the messenger, who had just withdrawn the money from the bank, began to struggle with the men, the paper bag tore open and the money fell to the ground, police said.

Krzyzopolski fled on foot, police said, and Williams attempted to fight off the messenger and grab some of the flying bills.

Fire officials said Capt. Dean White and firefighters Richard Dean and Joe Lindaman saw the men struggling in the parking lot. The firemen, joined by two other passers-by, held Williams to the ground until police arrived, police said.

Police arrested Krzyzopolski Tuesday night at an apartment project in Glendale, police said.

Both suspects are in Burbank Jail.