This is hard to imagine but a trilby-wearing gun-toting robber was forced to leave empty-handed after he was ignored whilst attempting to hold up and rob a pharmacy.

The hapless crook was caught on CCTV strolling into the shop in the city of Seville in southern Spain shortly before closing time.

As an assistant went to help a couple of customers with a baby, the man wearing glasses and a hat is seen approaching the counter where he pulled out a gun and pointed it at cool-headed pharmacist Amaru Barrios Ruiz, 27.

Ruiz said: “He demanded money and I just told him he simply wasn’t going to get anything. He looked completely dumbfounded and repeated the demand pointing the gun at me again. But I pushed it away and told him no.”

As the comical scene was being played out, just feet away the customers and the other pharmacist carried on completely oblivious to events.

Customer Bianca Sierra Lozano, 34, later said: “I was vaguely aware of the man at the counter but wasn’t the slightest bit interested in what he wanted.”

The frustrated crook then walked over to the other pharmacist who also told him to go away.

Unsure of what to do next, the crook stood in an aisle looking at the pharmacists who still paid little attention to him, before finally giving up and walking out.

Chemist Ruiz said: “It was pretty bizarre really, both for us and I guess especially for him. He wanted to rob us and more or less got ignored.”

 A police spokesman said: “I think they were quite lucky and we urge anyone who sees someone with a gun to alert the police at the earliest opportunity, and not to tackle them themselves.”

Seems like they didn’t tackle him at all, but just ignored him!

Being a Tuesday, I was once again joined by Margaret Mills who told us about the time that the renowned poet, Alfred Tennyson stayed in Essex.

If you missed what Margaret told me, you can listen again here: –

Hope to have your company again next week,
Scott