A would-be robber learned the hard way that he’s better off writing prescriptions than demanding cash.
Birmingham Live reports 32-year-old Martin Travers tried robbing his local post office back in July and slid the cashier a note threatening he had a bomb in the red shoebox he was carrying. Unfortunately for him, the postal worker had absolutely no clue what the note said.
Prosecutor Harinderpal Dhami told the court, “He put a piece of paper on the counter but she was unable to read the writing. The defendant then said ‘You have 40 seconds, put the money in the box.” Dhami said he then became frustrated, picked up his note and stormed out of the area.
Travers then tried his luck on another business but again struck out. He slapped his note on the desk upside down, so the cashier couldn’t read it; she also had no idea what he was mumbling behind his mask.
The cashier then called authorities when he said clearly enough that he was carrying a bomb that “could go off” if he wasn’t given any cash. With police on the way, Dhami claimed he reached into the till and grabbed about 15 bucks before making a hasty retreat.
Authorities arrested him shortly after, then police looked into the red box he was carrying and found a device that was supposed to look like a bomb — and that’s it.
Travers was sentenced to four years and 10 months.