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Victim cons armed robber into providing key evidence that could lead to capture

Posted at 4:12 PM, Jul 04, 2015
and last updated 2015-07-06 18:48:07-04

Portsmouth, Va. -A man actually conned a criminal into being caught on camera while he was robbing him.

“I tricked him by saying, ‘Well, distract the clerk,” says Arnold, the victim who was forced to take money out of a nearby ATM.

“I kept turning around and telling him to go up closer go up closer and he was like, ‘Oh, I got you. So he goes right up to the camera in front of the clerk and I was like yeah okay we got him now.”

Because this thief is still out there Arnold didn't want to show his face on camera.

He says on July 4th as he was on his way to get a birthday gift for his dad, the robber pulled out a gun.

“He was like, ‘Give me all you have,’ and I was like, ‘I don`t have anything,’” says Arnold.

He says he thought he was going to be killed as the robber was pointing the gun at him.

Arnold says the robber forced him to withdraw money. He was aware that the neighborhood market at Afton Square had cameras so he says his instincts kicked in.

“He looked like he was really nervous, so I was like, okay since he is nervous, I can take advantage of him. So that`s what I did. I took advantage of the situation,” says Arnold.

Arnold says the two walked out and the robber walked away.

Now he and Portsmouth police hope someone gets a good look and takes action against crime

If you recognize the man in the photo, please call the Crime Line at 1-888-LOCK-U-UP.