ORLANDO, Fla. – A man was arrested on Wednesday in connection with the theft of $700 from a man in a wheelchair at an ATM machine, deputies said.
The victim, 71-year-old Nick Cupo, told Orange County deputies that he went up to the ATM machine around 10 a.m. and withdrew his money to pay his rent.
As he was about to place the money in his pocket, he was approached by Luis Viera from behind, the report said.
Viera grabbed the Cupo's hand and squeezed it until he released the money, the report said.
“If I would have thought quicker, I would have put the wheelchair in reverse and ran over the son of a gun,” Cupo told News 6.
Cupo told police he watched Viera walk into New Start City. Deputies obtained surveillance footage from the business and saw Viera handing something to a black man in front of the building and then walk on the side of the building, out of the view of the camera.
"He saw me in a wheelchair. He came up behind me. He probably figured he's not going to be able to hold on to much," Cupo said.
Deputies responded within three minutes, Cupo said, and Viera was arrested later on Wednesday.
"When he did it to me he walked away," the victim said. "He didn't even run."
Viera admitted to police that he robbed Cupo and only had $100 on him when he was arrested for robbery.
News 6 spoke to Cupo Thursday and told him that a suspect had been arrested. He said the $700 was for rent, and he lives on a fixed income.
"That just made my whole weekend," he told News 6 after learning of the arrest. "I'm just happy they caught him. That's all I care about."
Cupo said he is going to have to go to some agencies and see if he can get help paying his rent, because he won't be able to make it up in time. His next social security check doesn't come until July 15.