While we at Consumerist never, ever, ever condone crime. We have covered enough retail crime stories to have gleaned a few tips on what not to do. For example, if you plan on robbing a convenience store, you might want to check that a police officer is not standing a few feet behind you the entire time.

But that’s exactly what happened at a Georgia convenience store, where an unarmed man walked up to the register and demanded cash, all while a local cop watched on in disbelief.

“I know what’s going on, but he’s not dumb enough to do this with me standing right behind him,” the officer tells Atlanta’s Channel 2 News.

Check out the video below to see how other shoppers continued coming up to the counter and making purchases while the amused manager counts out the money.

“The manager was laughing at the time he was putting the money in the bag… he was looking at me over the guy that was robbing him,” says the officer.

The robber was arrested immediately as he left the store. Since he was unarmed, he has been charged with robbery by fear, though you wouldn’t know it from all the laughing going on.

Says the officer, “It was a comedy type thing.”

Robber arrested after holding up gas station with officer inside [AJC.com]

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