State Senator Chases Thief, Recovers Money

State Senator Paul Doyle knows his Rocky Hill district very well. He works near a busy strip of stores and banks.

That knowledge came in handy when a would-be thief stole $700 from a woman who was waiting in line at the Webster Bank branch on Cromwell Avenue.

"I heard some commotion behind me and I heard a little scream, so I got up, and then all of a sudden I heard a woman say, 'he robbed me' and then the guy was running out. At that point the guy was at the door."

Doyle, a former track athlete in high school and in college, then took of running after Christopher Nunn, who Dole didn't know was going to soon be serving time in a Massachusetts prison on drug related charges.

"I took off after him. I ran through route 3, then we went down behind the Starbucks plaza. But I knew the area and this guy knew where he was going."

Doyle then confronted Nunn in the middle of Elm Street when, in the pouring rain, Nunn threw up the money.

"He threw it all up in the air and it was raining money, literally raining, but also the money was scattered all about," Doyle said.

The Rocky Hill Police Department didn't respond to requests for comment on the incident, which happened in November of last year. It didn't become public until recently because police were still investigating and Nunn was imprisoned in Massachusetts.

Nunn has entered not guilty pleas on larceny and robber charges and is currently being held on $75,000 bond.

Doyle says it was his instinct that kicked in, though the police did tell him how he put himself at risk by going after Nunn.

"They were appreciative I got the money but they certainly did not encourage it, I'll say."

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