A quick thinking witness said he was making his morning commute to work Friday when he noticed something unusual.

"Something just didn't quite look right," the man who did not want to be identified said. "So I went around the bank, behind there and seen an individual jump in a car."

Some might have gone on their way, but he didn't.

"I called 911." the witness said. "Basically just asked them if the bank had just been robbed. They said yes."

He told police what he saw and it helped them quickly apprehended the suspect after the Union Bank branch at 4800 Normal Boulevard in Lincoln was held up Friday morning.

According to Lincoln Police Officer Katie Flood, officers arrested 30-year-old Geoffrey Daniel Essay after a short chase through the near south area of Lincoln.

Flood said officers were dispatched to the scene around 8:55 a.m. on the report of a robbery at the bank. She said a man entered the bank wearing a rubber Halloween mask, a wig, and gloves. She said the man was armed with a handgun, and left the bank with an undisclosed amount of money.
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"The guy was bolting out of the bank," the witness said. "People don't run out of the bank. And he went around the side where there's no parking lot. Something just didn't click."

So he followed the getaway car several blocks, giving Lincoln police a play-by-play of the suspect's every move.

Officer Flood said two men fled in a car. An alert citizen saw the getaway, and called police with a description of the vehicle.

"I stayed about two or three cars behind them. Then the police took over and it went from there," said the witness.

Flood said a police officer spotted the car at South Street and Normal Boulevard and followed the vehicle.

Officer Flood said the driver jumped from the vehicle with his hands up in a residential neighborhood at 28th & Sumner. That man was apprehended a short time later. The passenger slid over and drove off, eventually turning north on 27th Street.

The suspect hit another vehicle and the median, according to Flood. She said police took the man into custody just north of 27th and Randolph at 9:01 a.m., six minutes after the incident began.

The witness' efforts ended up helping police nab the bank robber.

"We recovered the money, the exact dollar amount that was reported stolen at the bank on the individual that was arrested here on 27th St. We recovered a gun. Fortunately no one was injured," said Capt. Dennis Duckworth of the Lincoln Police Dept.

Officer Flood said the weapon used in the robbery was found on the front seat of the vehicle. Money taken in the robbery was found in Geoffrey Daniel Essay's pocket. Flood said Essay was cited and jailed for Robbery, Use of a Weapon to Commit a Felony, and Fleeing to avoid arrest.

Police are grateful for the his brave actions, but this star witness insists he's no hero.

"I'm a concerned citizen," he said. "If i can help the police department, I have no problem with that. I feel good. I mean these guys are hopefully going to be behind bars and put away for a long time so they don't do this again."

He encourages other citizens to do the same

"If you see something out of the normal, you probably ought to think about looking and stuff lie that. Being alert is the main thing," he said.

To help police catch the crooks.

Flood said the other man involved in the incident was released, and has not been cited. Essay is listed as a transient, and has had several previous contacts with Lincoln police.