Corvallis, Oregon



From the December 7, 2003, Corvallis Gazette-Times:

Two accused would-be robbers were arrested minutes after they left their intended target's store Wednesday.



Noe Angel Morales, 25, of Salem, and Saul P. Palacios, 36, of Keizer, were both arrested following the incident and face charges of robbery and conspiracy to commit robbery. Palacios also faces charges of menacing, unauthorized use of a weapon and pointing a firearm at another person.



The attempted robbery happened at 11:05 a.m., when the two men walked into Michael's Jewelry on Third Street. The owner, Michael Chambers, was just opening up shop, according to Capt. Bob Deutsch of the Corvallis Police Department.



"He was still putting stuff in the cases," said Deutsch. "He noticed they both looked very suspicious, and one seemed to have a lump in his pocket that appeared to be a gun."



Police said Chambers, to be on the safe side, retreated to another part of the store and readied a weapon, just in case. Two other people were in the store with him.



Palacios and Morales reportedly came around the counter — Palacios with gun in hand — but when they saw all the employees waiting for them, the two men apparently decided to run for it. Chambers last saw them running at full speed toward the Willamette River.