A hooded robber in Argentina interrupted his own heist to serve an unsuspecting customer — scanning her items, taking her QR payment and handing her a receipt.
The bizarre incident took place at a shop in Cipolletti, Argentina, at around 3:30pm on September 4. CCTV footage showed two hooded men entering the store while pretending to be customers.
One allegedly stood watch near the entrance as the other slipped behind the counter, where an employee was counting the day’s takings. The robber reportedly forced the worker into the bathroom and locked her inside.
Then the theft took an unexpected turn. A woman walked in looking to make a purchase.
Customer Service Behind the Counter
Rather than flee or turn her away, the masked man decided to pose as an employee. The customer selected a bottle of water from the refrigerator and asked the disguised thief for a packet of cigarettes.
He scanned both items, accepted her payment through a QR code and handed her a receipt. The woman then lit a cigarette and walked away, apparently unaware that she had just been served in the middle of a robbery.
Once she left, the two suspects allegedly took the remaining cash, a lottery till and the employee’s phone before fleeing.
Owner Finds a Silver Lining
The owner found at least one silver lining in the robber’s brief shift behind the counter.
“At least during this robbery, he started serving and gave me back a few pesos by QR from the purchases.”
The incident follows several other unusual thefts, including a man who allegedly stole $20 worth of donuts before returning to the same store and a group of thieves who stole an entire cabin in Canada.
The Cipolletti store had reportedly already been robbed once in the preceding weeks. Local reports claimed the employee involved in the latest incident later quit because she was frightened by the ordeal.
A Strange Month for Crime
The situation somewhat echoes another viral incident from earlier in September when a hacker stole roughly $340 million worth of Bitcoin from a cryptocurrency settlement network before returning most of the funds after the vulnerability used in the attack was fixed.
The investigation into the Cipolletti robbery remains unresolved. No arrests have been reported, and police are attempting to identify both suspects from the surveillance footage.
What We Know So Far
- The robbery took place at a shop in Cipolletti, Argentina, at around 3:30pm on September 4.
- CCTV footage showed two hooded men entering the store while pretending to be customers.
- One suspect forced the employee into the bathroom and locked her inside.
- A customer was served by the disguised thief, paying via QR code and receiving a receipt.
- The suspects fled with the remaining cash, a lottery till and the employee’s phone.
- The store had reportedly already been robbed once in the preceding weeks, and the employee later quit because she was frightened by the ordeal.
- No arrests have been reported, and the investigation remains unresolved.
Timeline of Events
| Time | Event |
|---|---|
| ~3:30pm | Two hooded men enter the store posing as customers |
| Shortly after | One suspect forces employee into bathroom and locks her inside |
| During robbery | Customer enters and is served by the disguised thief |
| After customer leaves | Suspects take cash, lottery till and employee’s phone |
| Ongoing | Investigation continues; no arrests reported |
The CCTV Footage
The footage is central to the investigation. It captures both suspects entering the store and the moment one of them slipped behind the counter.
The employee was counting the day’s takings when she was confronted. She was then locked in the bathroom while the robbery continued.
The customer’s interaction with the thief lasted only moments. She asked for a bottle of water and cigarettes, paid via QR code, and left without suspecting anything was wrong.
Employee Quits After Ordeal
The employee’s decision to quit, as reported by local outlets, underscores the human cost of the incident. Being locked in a bathroom while masked men took cash, a lottery till and her phone would be a frightening experience for anyone.
The store itself had been robbed once before in the preceding weeks, according to local reports.
The unusual nature of the robbery has drawn attention.
A Robbery With a Receipt
The woman who was served has not been publicly identified. She walked away with her water and cigarettes, unaware that the man behind the counter was in the middle of a crime.
It is a strange detail in a strange story. A robber who paused his heist to complete a sale, accepted a digital payment and handed over a receipt — then went back to stealing.
The robbery could have been worse, and the QR payment provided at least a small return.
But the employee’s reported decision to quit is a reminder that even a robbery with a comical twist leaves real damage behind.
For now, the store in Cipolletti is left with the memory of a robbery that was interrupted by customer service — and a receipt that proved it happened.
Source: dexerto.com