Armbruster Pleads Guilty, Gets Six Years

Mike Meyer

You may recall reading the story here on SCIFI.radio about how Gerry Armbruster stole about five thousand dollars worth of rare Superman comics and memorabilia from Mike Meyer, a mentally disabled man living in Granite City, Illinois when we reported it last month.  The thief was identified by Mr. Meyer and found to be already in custody by police.  He’d been apprehended in the act of beating a 76 year old man and taking his money.

We are very pleased to report that Armbruster has been sent to prison, after a very short trial, and is serving a six year sentence.

Mike Meyer, a 48-year-old man who works at McDonald’s to supplement the income he receives from Social Security, was on an all-expenses paid trip to Cleveland, Ohio to visit the house of Jerry Siegal, co-creator of Superman, when he got the news of Armbruster’s conviction.

Armbruster, a former coworker,  ingratiated himself to Meyer during an encounter at a comic book store sometime in August of this year. Armbruster expressed interest in Meyer’s Superman collection, and Meyer invited Armbruster into his home to inspect the items. Armbruster specifically asked to see the “most precious” comics, and later returned with a woman he identified as his girlfriend, asking if they could watch Superman movies with Meyer. While Meyer and the woman watched films, Armbruster “disappeared for a while.” Meyer later discovered the theft of more than 1,800 items and informed the police.

A portly man with wispy eyebrows and a child’s charm, Meyer not only adores the Man of Steel but lets the superhero’s do-good ideals permeate his life, right down to his answering machine message: “Every man can be Superman.”

“Justice did prevail, and this will give him some time to think,” Meyer said.

Links

• SCIFI.radio – Superman Comics Thief Collared