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American Morning
Dynamic Duo Help Police Catch Suspected Bank Robbery Suspect
Aired April 24, 2003 - 07:45 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: A father and a daughter are being hailed as heroes this morning in their hometown of (UNINTELLIGIBLE) Ohio. Earlier this week, Rodriquez Lake and his 11-year-old daughter, Symone, turned a trip to the drugstore into a crime-stopping adventure.
It started when Symone spotted a masked man going into a bank and then leaving with a knapsack. Her father called 911, and they tailed the getaway car until police arrived a short time later. The suspect, Thomas Platt, was taken into custody. You see it here.
Rodriquez Lake and his daughter, Symone, are with us from Cleveland now to share their incredible story.
Thanks for being here, guys.
RODRIQUEZ LAKE, HELPED POLICE CATCH BANK ROBBERY SUSPECT: Thank you, Heidi.
COLLINS: I want to ask you, Rodriquez, you had quite a day. This happened on Tuesday. You saw this person, a customer, to into the bank and then raise their hands in the air. Tell us what happened next. Apparently, he was running out, this Thomas Platt was running out of the bank with a satchel. What happened next?
R. LAKE: Well, actually what happened, I was driving and my daughter happened to notice a man going into the bank with a mask on. And, you know, I told her, well -- he was running, so I said, 'Well, he's probably just running to get out of the rain.' And then I think she made a comment, "No, I think he's going there to rob the bank." So I told her, 'I'll pull over and take a look." And, you know, we pulled over and parked, and I said, 'We'll look and see.'
And so, she was looking inside the bank, never took her eyes off of it, and then she started seeing people duck down in the bank. And after that, she saw the guy come running out again. And then, that's when I seen a gentleman as he approached the door, he threw his hands up as if, let me get out of this guy's way. And that's when I actually said, 'Yes, this gentleman did just rob the bank.'
COLLINS: Wow! Symone, you know what? We've been calling you a brave little girl, but I think you're a very smart little girl, too. Have you been watching too many cop shows? I mean, how did you know that something was suspicious here?
SYMONE LAKE, HELPED POLICE CATCH BANK ROBBERY SUSPECT: Well, he had on a mask. COLLINS: And that just didn't seem quite right to you, did it?
S. LAKE: No.
COLLINS: Tell us in your eyes what happened. I mean, how did you tell your dad? Did you say, hey, dad, there is a guy in a mask, that's not right?
S. LAKE: Yes, I told him, because he was running in the store with a bag and a mask, and my dad said, "He might be running from the rain."
COLLINS: Yes, but you said you didn't really think so, huh?
S. LAKE: Yes.
COLLINS: OK. Were you nervous at all that this might be a little scary or a little bit dangerous?
S. LAKE: Yes.
COLLINS: Yes. How so? Did you feel a little bit better, though, because you were with your dad?
S. LAKE: Yes.
COLLINS: Did you tell him to go after him, or what made you guys tail him?
S. LAKE: Well...
COLLINS: Mr. Rodriquez, what made you say, you know, not only are we going to keep our eye on this guy, but we're actually going to get in the car and follow him and see what exactly is happening here?
R. LAKE: Well, I believe in doing the things that's good and that's right. You know, I'm a bible-believing, teaching father and a member of my church, so I teach them to do the things that are good and that are right. And so, in doing so, the right thing to do if you see a crime being committed, you have to step up an do something about it. And that's basically what I did. You know, I did my duty and responsibility.
And not only that, I know my daughter is watching me to see how I react to the situation, and so I did as I should do.
COLLINS: And obviously watching you very closely. I just want to point out, Thomas Platt certainly not convicted yet. We're waiting to hear more on that.
But do you think you'll get a reward, Rodriquez?
L. LAKE: Well, I'm not sure what the bank or anyone else is going to do. I've got a number of calls about things. If we do, it will all -- you know, a college fund for the daughter, nothing for me. COLLINS: All right, very good. Rodriquez Lake and Symone, thanks so much. Appreciate you guys being here with us this morning and telling us your story.
L. LAKE: Thank you.
COLLINS: Good job, Symone.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
Suspect>
Aired April 24, 2003 - 07:45 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: A father and a daughter are being hailed as heroes this morning in their hometown of (UNINTELLIGIBLE) Ohio. Earlier this week, Rodriquez Lake and his 11-year-old daughter, Symone, turned a trip to the drugstore into a crime-stopping adventure.
It started when Symone spotted a masked man going into a bank and then leaving with a knapsack. Her father called 911, and they tailed the getaway car until police arrived a short time later. The suspect, Thomas Platt, was taken into custody. You see it here.
Rodriquez Lake and his daughter, Symone, are with us from Cleveland now to share their incredible story.
Thanks for being here, guys.
RODRIQUEZ LAKE, HELPED POLICE CATCH BANK ROBBERY SUSPECT: Thank you, Heidi.
COLLINS: I want to ask you, Rodriquez, you had quite a day. This happened on Tuesday. You saw this person, a customer, to into the bank and then raise their hands in the air. Tell us what happened next. Apparently, he was running out, this Thomas Platt was running out of the bank with a satchel. What happened next?
R. LAKE: Well, actually what happened, I was driving and my daughter happened to notice a man going into the bank with a mask on. And, you know, I told her, well -- he was running, so I said, 'Well, he's probably just running to get out of the rain.' And then I think she made a comment, "No, I think he's going there to rob the bank." So I told her, 'I'll pull over and take a look." And, you know, we pulled over and parked, and I said, 'We'll look and see.'
And so, she was looking inside the bank, never took her eyes off of it, and then she started seeing people duck down in the bank. And after that, she saw the guy come running out again. And then, that's when I seen a gentleman as he approached the door, he threw his hands up as if, let me get out of this guy's way. And that's when I actually said, 'Yes, this gentleman did just rob the bank.'
COLLINS: Wow! Symone, you know what? We've been calling you a brave little girl, but I think you're a very smart little girl, too. Have you been watching too many cop shows? I mean, how did you know that something was suspicious here?
SYMONE LAKE, HELPED POLICE CATCH BANK ROBBERY SUSPECT: Well, he had on a mask. COLLINS: And that just didn't seem quite right to you, did it?
S. LAKE: No.
COLLINS: Tell us in your eyes what happened. I mean, how did you tell your dad? Did you say, hey, dad, there is a guy in a mask, that's not right?
S. LAKE: Yes, I told him, because he was running in the store with a bag and a mask, and my dad said, "He might be running from the rain."
COLLINS: Yes, but you said you didn't really think so, huh?
S. LAKE: Yes.
COLLINS: OK. Were you nervous at all that this might be a little scary or a little bit dangerous?
S. LAKE: Yes.
COLLINS: Yes. How so? Did you feel a little bit better, though, because you were with your dad?
S. LAKE: Yes.
COLLINS: Did you tell him to go after him, or what made you guys tail him?
S. LAKE: Well...
COLLINS: Mr. Rodriquez, what made you say, you know, not only are we going to keep our eye on this guy, but we're actually going to get in the car and follow him and see what exactly is happening here?
R. LAKE: Well, I believe in doing the things that's good and that's right. You know, I'm a bible-believing, teaching father and a member of my church, so I teach them to do the things that are good and that are right. And so, in doing so, the right thing to do if you see a crime being committed, you have to step up an do something about it. And that's basically what I did. You know, I did my duty and responsibility.
And not only that, I know my daughter is watching me to see how I react to the situation, and so I did as I should do.
COLLINS: And obviously watching you very closely. I just want to point out, Thomas Platt certainly not convicted yet. We're waiting to hear more on that.
But do you think you'll get a reward, Rodriquez?
L. LAKE: Well, I'm not sure what the bank or anyone else is going to do. I've got a number of calls about things. If we do, it will all -- you know, a college fund for the daughter, nothing for me. COLLINS: All right, very good. Rodriquez Lake and Symone, thanks so much. Appreciate you guys being here with us this morning and telling us your story.
L. LAKE: Thank you.
COLLINS: Good job, Symone.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
Suspect>
