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Man arrested after 83-year-old is robbed

Times Staff Writer
Published October 30, 2004

CLEARWATER - A Clearwater man has been arrested in connection with the robbery of an elderly man whom detectives believe was followed home after he withdrew money from a bank machine.

Detectives arrested Michael J. Brown, 40, on a robbery charge Friday. Investigators say Brown followed an 83-year-old man home from the bank on Oct. 22, then pushed him down and robbed him. The elderly man suffered a broken hip.

A witness provided a good description of the suspect. Detectives then watched a surveillance video of the bank at the time the elderly man withdrew money. They noticed a man matching the suspect's description making an ATM transaction with his bank card about the same time. Detectives got a court order to retrieve records of the bank transaction, which showed that the man was Brown.

Clearwater police also are investigating a similar robbery earlier this month that may be related to the Oct. 22 incident.

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