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Good Samaritans each donate $600 to veteran robbed and beaten with walker at St. Pete Walmart

Posted at 9:28 AM, Sep 08, 2016
and last updated 2016-09-08 15:41:43-04

UPDATE:

St. Petersburg detectives arrested Harold Stewart, 37, for the armed robbery of Jeffrey Hardeman. Detectives arrested him in Tampa and also located the Dodge Durango seen in the surveillance video.

According to detectives, they were able to identify Stewart through tips from the public.

 

 

ORIGINAL STORY

On Friday, September 2, Jeffrey Hardeman, 66, was walking toward the St. Petersburg Walmart with the help of his walker, when he was approached by a younger black man who beat and robbed him. 

RELATED | Disabled veteran attacked at St. Pete Walmart, robber beat him with his own walker

On Wednesday, September 7, a man walked into the St. Petersburg Police Department and told officers he wanted to donate $600 in cash to the man who was robbed and beaten. The Good Samaritan, also a veteran, identified himself as "Tom" but he wanted to remain anonymous. He left an envelope with $600 cash and a note that said: 

"From 1 vet to another hope this makes things better."

A day later, a second Good Samaritan has come forward and written a $600 personal check to Hardeman. That well-wisher has been identified as Joseph M. Abolafia, a retired New York police officer.

The St. Petersburg Police Department will present the victim, Jeffrey Hardeman, with the Good Samaritan cash donation and Abolafia's personal check at 2:45 p.m. today, Sept. 8. 

Police continue to search for the suspect, described as a black man, 29-35 years-old, 6'-6'2" tall, and about 190-210 pounds, wearing dark clothing. The suspect was last seen getting into a blue Dodge Durango. If you have any information regarding this incident, please call the St. Petersburg Police Department at 727-893-7780.