Alleged machete-wielding would-be robber thwarted by larger machete

A man's attempt to rob a liquor store in Worcester, Massachusetts, with a machete was thwarted when a clerk pulled a larger machete from under the counter and showed it to the would-be robber, who immediately fled, say police.

Luis Jimenez, 38, was ordered to be held on $31,000 cash bail on Friday after being arraigned in Central District Court on a charge of armed assault with intent to rob, stemming from the attempted hold-up.



According to a statement by police, Mr. Jimenez entered Belmont Liquors on Nov. 15, pointed a "knife/machete" at the clerk on duty and told him to empty the register. When the clerk refused, Mr. Jimenez allegedly grabbed the clerk by the hand, placed his weapon on the counter and said, "Hey, I ain't playing."

The clerk pulled away from Mr. Jimenez, retrieved "a larger machete" from under the counter and showed it to Mr. Jimenez, who walked out of the store and ran away, according to police. The clerk later identified Mr. Jimenez as the would-be robber from a photo array shown to him by investigators.