In this case, a man was captured within a few minutes of allegedly robbing a bank. Police say the cash was still in his back pocket.
"I don't think he was real happy to see me," said Upper Darby Community Affairs Officer Thomas Nee. "But he was cooperative."
Nee was recalling the look on the suspect's face after he cornered him with the loot still in his pocket.
"It was a very large wad of cash," said Nee. "It was sticking out of his back pocket."
Police say it was around 3:00 p.m. Wednesday when a 28-year-old man walked into the TD Bank branch at Lansdowne and Garrett Roads demanding cash.
The teller handed him $2300 dollars, and he fled on foot.
Within a few minutes, more than a dozen police cars responded to the robbery in progress. Among them, Officer Nee, who ordinarily conducts community affairs programs at local schools.
"I was really concerned about the kids from the schools just letting out. I was really concerned about that. We don't need a guy running around who's just robbed a bank with our schools being dismissed," said Nee.
Nee didn't think the guy could get too far, so he searched an area near the SEPTA trolley tracks on Fairfax near Garrett. As his luck would have it, he saw something moving in the bushes.
"I observed a male hiding in the weeds. He came out. I searched him. I asked him what he was doing there. He said he had just robbed a bank," said Nee.
Nee handcuffed the suspect and took him into custody. For him, it was just another day on the job after 32 years.
"I've been doing it for a long time, this job. I was just at the right time in the right place, just did what I had to do, just take care of business," said Nee.
Police superintendent Mike Chitwood said he was not surprised by Nee's modesty.
"That's Tommy, that's his community relations background," said Chitwood.
And residents were not surprised an arrest had been made so rapidly.
"Upper Darby Police are excellent, said Brenda Casey of Drexel Hill, Pa. "I mean, you're not going to get away with anything around here."
And Wednesday night, Officer Nee got a standing ovation from a grateful city council.
The suspect has been identified as 28-year-old Rajbir Singh of Broomall, who has one prior arrest for theft.
And as for Officer Nee, there will be no day off for great work. He will back on the job Thursday morning.
