Michigan judge walks in on bank robbery in Italy

BAY CITY (AP) -- A Michigan judge who was vacationing in Italy says he walked in on a bank robbery in progress and may have unwittingly foiled the plot. Bay County Circuit Court Judge Joseph K. Sheeran tells The Bay City Times that he went into a Banca di Roma branch on Tuesday morning in Rome to exchange money, and saw a man wearing sunglasses, a hat and a handkerchief over part of his face. Sheeran says the man saw him and made a loud noise, then fled -- quickly followed by two other men wearing similar disguises. Sheeran says the two other men were attempting to open a safe when he walked in, and his appearance apparently startled them into fleeing. Police arrived shortly afterward and closed the bank while they spoke with witnesses. Published: Thu, Jul 14, 2011