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Would-be robbers laughed out of Youngstown bar
YOUNGSTOWN
Patrons and employees at a Youngstown bar laughed a trio of would-be robbers out of the business before realizing the armed men were serious in their demands for cash and valuables.
One employee and four patrons were inside Clark’s Bar on Mahoning Avenue on the West Side late Monday into early Tuesday morning. The conversation and relative peace were interrupted just after 1 a.m.
A man appearing to be white or Hispanic and in his late teens or early 20s and weighing about 150 pounds came into the bar with clothing covering most of his face. He wore a reddish-orange camouflage vest and one glove covering the hand in which he held a dark- colored handgun.
That man was followed into the bar by another white or Hispanic male in his late teens or early 20s appearing to be slightly taller, wearing dark clothes, covering his face with cloth and carrying a canvas-style bag. A third man, also in dark clothes and face covered, entered the bar and stood near the exit.
The armed man pointed the gun at the bartender while the man carrying the bag placed the bag on the counter and demanded money.
The patrons and bartender began laughing at the three bandits. They later told police they thought the entire thing was a “joke” and “not for real.”
The would-be robbers told the bartender they were not joking and again demanded the money be placed in the duffel bag. The bartender, still not taking the armed men seriously, told the man with the bag that she could not get him any money, but she could get him a drink, leading to more laughter in the bar.
Police reports say the three men stood at the bar for about 10 seconds saying nothing, then, dejected, walked out the bar with nothing.
After the men left without ordering a drink or taking away the clothing hiding their faces, patrons and the bartender realized the men had been serious. The bartender locked the doors and called police.