Thief loses money trying to rob gun store

A Kansas City robber not only came up empty during an attempted heist, but actually lost money on the deal, according to the owner of a gun shop where the robbery took place. The owner of the store on North Oak Trafficway said he was still shaken up by Thursday's robbery and was grateful he didn't have to use deadly force.

The owner, who asked only to be identified as Lee, said the would-be robber tried to buy a box of bullets and pulled out $40 to pay for them. As Lee rang up the purchase, he said the man indicated he wanted more. "I rang it up, told him what he owed me and I was looking at a gun," he said. "I was shaking in my boots, technically. That's a nice way to say I was scared like hell."



Lee said that when he noticed the man's gun wasn't loaded, he pulled a gun of his own. "I started to draw, and the next thing I knew he was gone," Lee said. "I didn't have to shoot anybody, thank God." Not only was no one hurt, but Lee said that the robber left his $40 behind. "He donated two $20 bills to the cause, if that's the way you want to put it," he said.

He said it was the first attempted robbery he has seen after 22 years at the store. He said he hopes to never see it again. "Nobody wants to think they may have to take another's life, but when it comes to the scales of justice or the scales of whether I'm going home or not, there's not much question what I plan to do," Lee said. Police have not announced any arrests.

With news video.