One tweet about London firefighter Gary Martin
— one of many — said it all.
“Have spent time in Canada. Nicest folks to meet. Apparently a hero visited Chicago.
Good on ya, eh :-),” said Daniel McNeil of suburban Chicago.
Flattering tweets, a headline in the Windy City’s most famous newspaper, the Chicago Tribune, and feel-good echoes back across the border.
You can bet Martin wasn’t banking on all that attention when he visited the continent’s third-largest city for the first time this week.
Then, again, it’s not every foreign tourist who’d chase down a purse-snatcher in a strange city.
That he did so near Chicago’s legendary Magnificent Mile, a shopping mecca apparently dealing with a purse-snatching problem, elevated Martin to heroic status on his trip to the Midwest capital.
Tuesday, the 47-year-old chased down a man and pinned him to the ground after he stole an elderly woman’s purse on North Michigan Ave.
He was shopping in a souvenir store with his girlfriend when he heard the woman scream while trying to get into an elevator.
“I kind of looked around the corner and saw him running away. She was hysterical behind him, screaming ‘my purse, my purse!’”
Martin didn’t think twice about giving chase.
“I was probably one of the closest guys to him, so I just of went after him.”
He chased him for about 50 ft down the busy sidewalk before nabbing him.
“Well, he wasn’t very fast … He was heading down to a lower level of the street and I was able to catch him right at the top of the stairs.”
A building security officer ran up to him and the two dragged the man into the lobby of the building.
Police were there in less than five minutes and arrested the man.
“They came on bicycle,” Martin said Friday.
I’ve seen cops everywhere here — from what I hear, it’s been a real issue here, so there’s a big police presence.”
The woman, whom Martin believed was in her 70s, thanked him for his trouble.
“She said thank-you after, when she came by and grabbed her purse. She was yelling some expletives at him and was quite upset,” he said.
Despite his sudden celebrity, Martin is humble.
“I don’t think it’s that big a deal, to be honest,” he said. “I got lots of friends who would do the same thing.”
Not everyone’s so sure.
“He took a big risk, when you stop and think about it, because a lot of people wouldn’t want to either get involved or take that chance,” said John Hassan, president of the London Professional Firefighters Association. “But Gary, he’s predisposed to always try to do the right thing.
“I’m usually really proud of my firefighters, but today I’m especially proud.”
Chicago police charged a 49-year-old man with felony robbery.
SELECTED FACEBOOK COMMENTS
We need more people who will step up like this guy. Way to go!
— Bikegoddess Julie
Another hero tourist to the rescue. Thank-you Gary Martin and have fun in the city.
— Martino Silva
This guy rocks my socks off! Classic 90’s action hero!
— Dan Howery
I’m glad our Firefighters can bring positive attention to our City. Unlike our Mayor. Thank you Gary Martin for going above and beyond and making a difference.
— Susan Jones
