KINGDOM CITY, MO (KTVI-FOX2now.com)—
A St. Louis man played a key role in catching a dangerous bank robbery suspect. He tells us how it all unfolded. Former Missouri Trooper Sam Lakey says, "The goose bumps started going. The heart started pumping a little bit." Lakey says it was karma that led him and suspected bank robber Chad Schaffner to a Kingdom City motel Saturday. Lakey explains, "The guy came in full of tatts." Lakey was staying at the hotel with his family for the Mizzou football game. Schaffner was on the run from the law.Lakey had seen the news coverage last week of the Caseyville, Illinois, bank robbery and how Schaffner was a suspect in that one and more than a dozen others in several states, "Something started to tick in my head. This car, there's something about this car, especially with the out of state plate."
He knew a lot about criminals. Lakey spent 10 years as a St. Louis County Cop and two decades as a Missouri Highway Patrol Officer.
Saturday morning, Lakey ran into Schaffner at breakfast and he got more suspicious, "Basically he wouldn't make eye contact."
The former cop checked out America's Most Wanted web site. There was all the information about the bank robbery spree, an armed and dangerous suspect, the getaway car with the same license plate number as the one in the Super 8 parking lot.
Lakey remembers, "For the safety of my family, I'm moving away." And he called police. Schaffner was arrested without incident. Lakey felt good. He felt the pride his wife and two teenage sons had for him, "The youngest one was all smiles, The oldest one was that was all right."
Lakey retired from law enforcement five years ago, but he still has it.
If any reward is being offered, Lakey plans to apply for it, saying it's money he could use in his retirement.
As for Schaffner, he told a judge during his hearing Monday that he wants to get back to Tennessee to face bank robbery charges there. He also told the judge he has no attorney and can't afford one.
