PASADENA — A gunman not only fled empty-handed following an attempted robbery at a Pasadena business Saturday, he left money behind during the ill-fated crime, police said.
The crime was reported about 8:30 a.m. at Pro Boxing, 510 N. Lake Ave., Pasadena police Sgt. Robert Tucker said.
The robber first entered the store and began to purchase some boxing tape, the sergeant said.
“The suspect gave the manager $20 to pay for the tape,” Tucker said. “When he have him the $20, he pulled out a handgun and told him to open the register.”
But the employee was unable to open the register quickly enough to satisfy the gunman, who tried unsuccessfully to open the cash register himself, he said.
Unable to get the register open, the robber stowed his gun and left the store, Tucker said. He left behind the $20 bill, though the boxing tape he took cost about $8.
A man who answered the phone at the business, but did not identify himself, said he was not impressed by the irony of the incident.
“It’s nothing funny,” the man said. “It’s terrible.”
No injuries were reported.
Police described the robber as a black man, about 20 years old, 5 feet 7 inches to 5 feet 9 inches tall, and about 150 pounds. He wore a burgundy hooded sweat shirt and blue jeans.