Transcript of 911 call on Zehm released

Editor’s note: The following is a transcript of a 911 call by a young-sounding woman who reported a suspicious man as she and a female friend used a drive-up ATM at Ruby and Indiana on March 18. Police released a recording of the call on Thursday.

Caller: Um, there’s some guy and he came up to us when we were at the ATM and he like was trying to get in our car and stuff so we drove off but we already put the card in and he was there messing with it forever … he’s walking down Division and he walked off with like stuff like he got money out of her ATM and then when we started coming at him he ran and now he’s walking down Division and I think he took a ton of money out of her ATM.

911 Operator: So she had already put her PIN in?

Caller: Yeah, and then he came over to us and was like trying to get in the car so we drove off. We didn’t know what to do … Yeah and he took off running and … but he’s walking now down Division.

911 Operator: OK and you went back to your vehicle when he approached you?

Caller: Uh, no, we were in the car at the drive-up ATM and he came … and we drove off when he wouldn’t go away and he’s right here, just like walking. Like we started driving after he started walking off with like the money and we didn’t know where to go and now he’s just walking. He ran and now he’s walking down Division.

911 Operator: And you said south on Division?

Caller: Uh, yeah. Yeah. Division and Nora, right now. Yeah, and he has like really long blond hair and a black jacket and OK now he’s turning. Or maybe it’s red hair, I don’t know. He’s walking down Nora now.

911 Operator: Which way?

Caller: East.

911 Operator: East?

Caller: Yeah.

911 Operator: OK, and what does he look like?

Caller: He has like long blondish, reddish hair …

911 Operator: Is he a white male?

Caller: He’s white and he’s, um, wearing a black coat and jeans and boots. His hair’s like really long, like past his shoulders long.

911 Operator: OK, and you said a black jacket and boots?

Caller: Yeah.

911 Operator: And did you get the card back or did he take that too?

Background: You have your card right?

Caller: Yeah, she has her card. Yeah, well, she thought she had canceled but then he was messing with it forever and then when we saw him walk away he had like a slip, like it was like the slip they give back and he had like a big wad of something so I think it was money and then he put it in his jacket because when we started driving to see where he was going, uh, he ran.

911 Operator: OK, so then you went back around to the ATM and got the card?

Caller: She already had the card. She put it in and took it out and entered the PIN and …

911 Operator: Oh, OK, so it’s not one where you leave the card in?

Caller: Uh-uh.

911 Operator: OK, I see, I see.

Caller: Yeah she has her card but she had already put her PIN in and stuff. Now he’s walking up Ruby and we can’t go that way because it’s a one-way. Now he’s walking south down Ruby.

911 Operator: Southbound?

Caller: Against traffic. Yeah.

Caller: Um, where is he going? He’s turning into … where is he going? What is this place? He just turned like into the (inaudible) or something.

911 Operator: What side of the street is he on?

Caller: He’s walking like through a parking lot at White Elephant and like I think he’s trying to get away because we’re following him. And now he’s like hiding I think.

911 Operator: At White Elephant?

Caller: Yeah, White Elephant and … there’s a gas station. It’s in between, uh, Division and Ruby and Nora and I don’t know.

911 Operator: OK, so are you on Division then?

Caller: Uh, we’re, we’re on Nora.

911 Operator: Hold on just a second, OK?

Caller: OK … He’s walking over into the gas station.

911 Operator: OK, hold on just a second the officers are asking something, OK?

(Inaudible)

Caller: There’s a cop here.

Caller: A cop just ran in the gas station …

911 Operator: OK, are you still there?

Caller: Yeah, a cop just ran into the gas station after him.

Passenger: Oh my god, there’s (inaudible)

Caller: Oh my, he’s like … yeah, I think he’s getting arrested.

911 Operator: Are the officers out with him?

Caller: Uh, there, there, one cop got out of the car and ran in the gas station. We’re outside the gas station. I guess they’re struggling. Yeah, he’s on the ground.

911 Operator: OK.

Caller: The cop’s on him.

911 Operator: All right.

Dispatch then requests personal information from the caller. That information has been deleted from the tape released to the newspaper.

Caller: If they took the money, what are we supposed to do?

911 Operator: Well, where are you right now? I was going to have you wait there and we’ll send an officer over to talk with you.

Caller: We’re right outside the gas station where they are on 76 on Division by White Elephant.

911 Operator: OK. We’ll have someone come out and talk to you, OK?

Caller: OK, thank you.

911 Operator: All right, bye-bye.

Caller: Bye.

Compiled by staff writer Benjamin Shors