Man armed with tinfoil-covered cardboard gun stole $14 in coins

Police in Ocala, Florida, have arrested a man on robbery charges after they say he held up a convenience store armed with a piece of cardboard covered in silver tin foil and stole $14 worth of coins from a donation container.

Timothy Foster, 41, has been charged with strong arm robbery, burglary, possession of a controlled substance and resisting arrest without violence in the Wednesday incident. Police said Foster went into the Citgo store and demanded money from the register.



The clerk said Foster was trying to cover his face when he told the clerk "give it all up." The clerk said she thought Foster was joking, but then when Foster withdrew a piece of cardboard covered with silver tin foil from his waistband and pointed it at her, she said she wasn't sure if it was a firearm or not and told Foster to take what he wanted.

Foster attempted to open the cash register but was unable to, so he grabbed a donation bucket with $14 in coins in it and left the store. On the way out, he dropped his T-shirt and makeshift firearm, police said. A customer who knew Foster followed him from the store until law enforcement arrived. Police found Foster with the donation container for the Children's Rainbow Foundation and said Foster had methamphetamine on him. He was taken to Marion County jail.