College Heist Goes Bust: 20-Year-Old Student Foiled in Attempted Holdup

In a daring, if hapless, attempt to hold up the Roma Inn at Revel Station, seven miles from Annapolis, Maryland, 20-year-old Ferdinand Henry Noble, a student at St. John’s College, found himself on the wrong side of the law. Last night, Noble, a native of Indianapolis and a graduate of an exclusive military preparatory school, walked into the jaws of justice, surrendering to State Policemen J. C. Gates and J. R. Miller in a wooded area near the scene of the crime.

Noble, who had been registered at St. John’s College for just over a year, had apparently abandoned his academic pursuits to turn to a life of crime. But his foray into the world of high-stakes robbery ended in ignominy, with Noble emerging from the woods with his hands raised, shouting ‘Don’t shoot!’

According to eyewitnesses, the attempted holdup was marked by a hail of gunfire, with two shots ringing out in the dead of night. But Noble’s plan was foiled when the police arrived on the scene, and he was quickly apprehended.

The would-be robber’s background is a far cry from the glamorous world of crime fiction. A former student at the Naval Academy, Noble had clearly taken a wrong turn, and his academic record is checkered, with a failed attempt at entry into the Naval Academy in June last year.

The Roma Inn, a humble roadside establishment, was the target of Noble’s ill-fated heist. The inn, a haven for weary travelers, was no doubt shaken by the events of the night, but thankfully, no one was hurt.

Noble’s arrest marks a significant victory for law enforcement in the Annapolis area. The 20-year-old student is currently being held in the Anne Arundel county jail, awaiting further proceedings.