Renton Neighborhood Group Captures Armed Robber: Report

RENTON, WA - An armed robber who knocked off a downtown Renton smoke shop on Valentine's Day didn't get far from the crime scene thanks to a neighborhood watch group.

On Wednesday night, the 24-year-old robber used a handgun to rob the Smoke Plus store along Bronson Way, according to Renton police. He took off north into the residential neighborhoods in the downtown area, according to KIRO 7, as police looked for him.

That's when resident Dallas Monges spotted the robber hiding in his bushes, KIRO reported. Monges chased the suspect, who ended up running into Diane Dobson and Keith Hutchson, who are part of a neighborhood watch group. Dobson and Hutchson ran to tell police.

But they weren't done.

According to KIRO, Dobson and Hutchson spotted the robber a second time, and so decided to chase him down. Once caught, the robber reportedly begged Dobson and Hutchson to release him.

"I'm doing this because I'm a good citizen," Dobson told the robber, according to KIRO.

The robber was arrested around 8:30 p.m., according to Renton police.

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