Man Tries to Rob Gun Shop with Toy Pistol [In Paris]

Yahoo! News ^ | Mon Jul 7, 9:29 AM ET | Reuters

[yonif]

PARIS (Reuters) - Armed with a toy pistol, a would-be robber picked himself an unlikely target in central Paris -- a gun shop.

Staff at the Armurerie Gare de l'Est in the French capital immediately identified the weapon as harmless. The 26-year-old Mauritanian was subsequently arrested, Le Parisien newspaper reported on Friday.

He was unlucky -- earlier this year a fake rocket launcher was successfully used in a break-out from a prison on the unruly Mediterranean island of Corsica.

A member of staff at the gun shop confirmed there had been a robbery attempt, but declined to give further details.

[mgc1122]

If this were here, I'd say the perp is a bona fide member of the rat base. However, what the heck is a Mauritanian anyway?

[VRWCmember]

Apparently all that practice in surrendering at gunpoint has at least taught some of the Frenchies to recognize whether or not it is a real gun facing them down.

[Servant of the Nine]

Paging Dr. Darwin.

what the heck is a Mauritanian anyway?

Either a serious Maurice Chevalier fan or a person from Mauritania, or a Martian who can't spell.

So9

[SquirrelKing]

Sign in French gun shop: "Never used, only dropped once."

[mountaineer]

Gun shops in Paris? Wow, who'da thunk it.

[RoseofTexas]

AHHHH those wild and crazy frenchies!!

[sfvgt]

the only way you get injured with a gun in France is if you drop it on your foot.......

[ARCADIA]

I am surprised the whole country didn't surrender.