ALBANY -- The staff of Bombers Burrito Bar works hard for its tips, so when a would-be thief allegedly bolted late Wednesday night with $140 stuffed into a tip can he tucked inside his backpack, they chased after him, joined by loyal patrons of the Lark Street establishment.

After a four-block foot chase through Center Square, the winded crew snatched the backpack as the 24-year-old man climbed a fence to elude capture, only to be met on the others side by others who went around, cut him off and held him until police arrived.

The man allegedly tried to talk his way out of the jam by claiming he was merely pulling a prank.

Tierro Davis, of 201 Virginia Lane in Amsterdam, was charged with second-degree robbery.

"We're like a family here and I'm proud of how my staff and our patrons reacted," said Jimmy Vann, vice president of Bombers. He was working at the time of the alleged theft, but did not witness the commotion.

Davis had spent several hours seated at the end of the bar by the window, watched an NBA playoff game, paid for his drinks and exchanged pleasantries with the staff and bartender, Vann said. But shortly before midnight, a female server noticed the tip can was missing and Davis allegedly was shouldering a backpack and beginning to make a hasty exit. She confronted him near the door, reached for the backpack and was thrown down the stairs when the 6-foot-2, 190-pound man roughly yanked it back and shoved her before running out the door and turning down Jay Street.

The woman suffered minor injuries, police said.

Davis was apprehended near the corner of Hamilton and Dove streets. Staffers carried the book bag back to Bombers, where the tip can with $140 inside was recovered, Vann said.

"It's not our policy to run after anyone for any reason, but the workers were standing up for their own money that they earned," Vann said. He added it was the first time anyone could recall of an attempted tip jacking in 15 years of operation.

Reach Grondahl at 454-5623 or pgrondahl@timesunion.com.