A local Marine recruiter became a hero on the evening of Jan. 16, 2011 after he managed to nab an alleged thief who held up a Mexican restaurant where he was having dinner.
Staff Sgt. Garrett Pellerzi, canvassing recruiter, Recruiting Substation Dallas South, Recruiting Station Dallas, was sitting in a corner booth at an El Chico Café in the Dallas suburb of DeSoto, Texas at approximately 9:45 p.m. when he saw a man wearing a black, hooded sweatshirt and black pants enter the eatery and walk into the kitchen.
“I could hear something going on, but didn’t hear any screams or anything too loud, so I just watched the back area for a minute,” said the 28-year-old Quitman, Texas native.
Pellerzi’s server ran out of the eatery’s side door and seconds later, the man in black ran after him. The recruiter, suspecting foul play, gave chase staying within 50 yards of the suspect, winding through nearby shopping centers and alleys.
The thief made it to a nearby Ross department store and attempted to hide evidence.
“I ran up to the corner and when I got to the parking lot, he was taking off his black hoodie, hiding it by the front tire of a truck that was parked,” Pellerzi said. “At that time, I got on the phone with DeSoto Police Department to tell them where we were and what direction the suspect was going.”
Unwilling to get caught, the gunman continued his escape outside of Pellerzi’s view.
“By then, he had figured out I was chasing him and he took off running, so I took off after him and stayed on the phone with the police,” said Pellerzi.
The alleged robber ran another 1/3-mile until he arrived at an On The Border restaurant, but not before tripping on his way toward the entrance. Without his knowledge, he ran into a restaurant where three police officers were having dinner.
Pellerzi arrived and noticed him walk into a restroom. He remained outside and waited for police to arrive. Within seconds, six of DeSoto’s finest pulled up and surrounded the establishment, blocking all exits.
The suspect almost eluded police. Minutes after entering the restroom, he exited wearing different attire; a white long-sleeved t-shirt and gray flannel pants. The thief appeared calm but had a look on his face Pellerzi described as an ‘oh crap’ expression.
Police immediately drew their weapons and apprehended the suspect after Pellerzi positively identified him to Officer Christopher Douglas who had arrived on the scene.
After searching him, police noticed he was unarmed and couldn’t find the weapon used in the heist just minutes ago. Police joined Pellerzi in retracing their steps in hopes of finding the weapon, but to no avail. However, upon their return, they discovered a .38 caliber pistol in the parking lot, where a vehicle had been parked just moments before. When the gunman slipped out of Pellerzi’s view, he had been trying to hide his handgun. They later found the money he stole, approximately $1,500, according to a DeSoto police incident report, next to a trash can at the eatery’s entrance.
The suspect was immediately transported to police headquarters.
Officer Douglas, a San Antonio native, commended Pellerzi’s selfless acts.
“I wish society as a whole was more like that, to have the integrity that Staff Sgt. Pellerzi displayed to get up and do the right thing no matter what,” Douglas said.
“One thing I’ve always admired about Marines, being prior Air Force myself, is how they display themselves on and off duty, and I use that expression that they’re never off duty, the same as law enforcement,” He added.
No one was hurt in the incident.
The suspect, 33-year-old, Thomas D. Scott, is being charged with aggravated robbery with a firearm and unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. If convicted, he could possibly serve more than five years in prison.