A gutsy good Samaritan played a pivotal role in the takedown of a bank robbery suspect in the heart of South Boston, according to authorities. In an episode straight out of a cops-and-robbers chase, the local hero didn't shy away from action, nabbing the alleged thief in a dramatic sidewalk capture that led to her arrest.
It was on a routine yesterday morning that chaos erupted shortly after an unarmed robbery at a bank on 501 Southampton St. Police were on the scene faster than you can say "freeze", with officers from District C-6 (South Boston) responding to the triggered alarm. The suspect, a 38-year-old Boston resident named Miriam Dealmeida, set alarms blaring and sent cops into an urgent sweep of the neighborhood, as reported by the Boston Police Department's official. Described as a 5′ tall white female in a black hoodie and blue jeans, sporting a white disposable surgical mask, she went on the lam, direction unknown.
The plot thickened when an alert bystander, who was traversing Boston St towards Andrew Station, spotted a figure with red smoke pluming from their attire—clinching detail that matched the getaway gear. A brisk foot chase ensued down Dorchester Ave and right onto Father Songin Way before our intrepid citizen made his move. He tackled the suspect to the ground, holding her until a nearby sergeant arrived, thus halting what could have been a clean getaway.
"He noticed the suspect running from the bank parking lot with red smoke emitting from her hooded sweatshirt pocket," the Boston Police described in their recount of the incident. Commended for his bravery, the bystander may not have worn a cape, but he surely saved a day. Dealmeida was promptly arrested and is facing charges for Unarmed Bank Robbery. Investigators also suspect her involvement in a prior heist at the East West Bank on 68 Kneeland St, earlier the same day. She is slated to make her appearance before a judge at South Boston District Court.
