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Man Charged With Attempted Armed Robbery, Carjacking Of Vi Ripken

ABERDEEN, Md. (WJZ) — The man police say attempted to carjack Vi Ripken, mother of Orioles Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr., is behind bars.

As Christie Ileto explains--he's facing a long list of charges.

One of those charges being attempted armed robbery. It's unclear if Ripken was a target or if this was random.

Would-be carjacker Jesse Bowen is facing attempted armed robbery, attempted carjacking and possession of a dangerous weapon among other things Wednesday.

Police say he attempted to rob Cal Ripken Jr.'s mother, Vi Ripken, outside an Aberdeen bank Tuesday.

"I definitely would not have seen that coming for sure. That's crazy," said Pete Krummel, bank customer.

"When I was down there and spoke to her. She's a strong woman and seemed to be holding up fairly well," said Lt. Fred Budnick, Aberdeen Police.

Police say quick-thinking Ripken sounded an alarm on her car keys. A witness says he initially didn't think anything of it, until:

"There were cops everywhere. I mean, they were walking, driving down the alleys and everything," the man said.

Police say Bowen did away without taking anything. But he did attempt to use an ATM outside the bank, which is how police identified him through surveillance footage and tracked him down hours later.

"Even at nighttime, I won't go to this one. I'll drive out my way to Havre de Grace," said Deborah Pollitt, bank customer.

While this latest scare has bank customers on edge, this is the second time Ripken is a victim of a crime in just over a year.

"When something like this happens, it forces you to think differently," said Cal Ripken Jr.

Last July, Vi was taken at gunpoint from her Aberdeen home and released 24 hours later.

As for this week's crime, Ripken's attacker now sits behind bars, and she--safe with her family.

No bail has been set for Bowen, who is being held at the Harford County Detention Center.

Police say it doesn't appear this week's incident was connected with Ripken's 2012 kidnapping.

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