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Tonganoxie pastor IDs purse snatchers

By Estuardo Garcia - | Aug 8, 2007

He doesn’t wear a cape, and you probably won’t see him scaling any buildings like Adam West in the 1960s “Batman” television show, but for a night Mike Waggoner did manage to foil the plan of some evildoers.

Normally, the pastor of the Tonganoxie Evangelical Friends Church doesn’t go out looking to stop thieves, but earlier this year the situation was such that he had to do the right thing and help Lawrence Police catch three young men suspected of stealing a woman’s purse.

“I knew that they had done something wrong and felt that the police needed to get a hold of them and I felt it was my civic duty to help them out,” Waggoner said. “Plus I would want someone to do the same if they had stolen my wife’s purse.”

Waggoner found himself going home late from his work at the information technology department at Kansas University in March when he saw three young men hiding behind a Dumpster near his building. Thinking they were up to no good, he shooed them away.

After scaring off the young men, Waggoner noticed the police looking around for something. Putting two and two together, Waggoner went over to the officer and said, “I think I know who you are looking for.”

Since he had seen the boys, he was able to describe them to the authorities.

Waggoner then tried to go home a couple of more times, but each time he would see one of the suspects around campus. Waggoner then told the police where he saw them.

With Waggoner’s help, police were able to catch two of the three suspects.

What made the pastor such a valuable resource to the police was that the suspects weren’t looking out for him.

“They would see the police and turn the other way,” he said. “They weren’t looking to avoid the guy in the blue truck.”

For his work, the university gave him a certificate of appreciation.

Waggoner’s wife was not at all surprised her husband would help out.

“I was pleased because he has always been a very protective man.” Dianna Waggoner said. “He is that kind of person who helps people in need.”