Scranton, Pennsylvania

From the Scranton Times-Tribune of April 8, 2007

Clerk pulls gun, scares away would-be robber

Never mess with a cashier who knows guns.

Shortly after 8:30 p.m. Saturday, a would-be robber walked into the Shell gas station at 801 Pittston Ave. and demanded money.

He menacingly pointed his hand at the cashier. A handkerchief covered the hand.

The cashier, an elderly man, was unimpressed. Sgt. Jesse Romanchick said the cashier could tell the robber didn’t have a gun.

The cashier did. Licensed to carry a gun, the cashier pulled his and showed it to the robber.

Suddenly, the robber thought better of his attempt and scurried out the door.

The money remained safely in the cash register.

“He scared the robber away,” Sgt. Romanchick said.

The robber headed east on adjacent Birch Street.

The cashier called police, who scrambled several cars into the neighborhood to try to find the foiled robber.

They had not succeeded by late Saturday.