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On Tuesday, May 30, David Dalesandro (25) from South Carolina allegedly robbed a convenience store with a Nintendo toy gun. As per the York County Sheriff's Office, the suspect has been charged with armed robbery with a deadly weapon, petit larceny, and a charge of “wearing masks and the like". He reportedly stole $300.
David Dalesandro was booked into the York County Detention Center at 11:00 pm on Tuesday. As per Law&Crime, he has a criminal history which includes three different speeding infractions. Officials have not confirmed whether he has any legal representation. The case is currently being handled by the York County Sheriff's Office.
Timeline of the robbery allegations against David Dalesandro
At 5:45 pm on Tuesday, David Dalesandro armed himself with a pistol from the Nintendo video game "Duck Hunt" and stormed into the Kwik Stop Convenience store in Sharon, York County. According to officials, he spray-painted the toy gun black in order to make it look real. Witnesses noted that Dalesandro was dressed in a wig, a mask, and a hoodie.
As per the store clerk, they listened to David Dalesandro's demands, and immediately handed over $300. Subsequently, the suspect attempted to flee the scene. Kwik Stop staff promptly called the police, who captured Dalesandro almost immediately after the robbery. He was reportedly found in the parking lot of a Dollar General.
Officials searched David Dalesandro, discovering the toy gun in his pants, after which he was arrested. As per the South Carolina Government website, even if the 'weapon' used in the incident is fake, Dalesandro could face up to 10 years in prison for convincing the store clerk he had a real weapon. He will also face charges for wearing a disguise during the robbery.
South Carolina Law states:
“(No one) shall appear or enter upon any lane, walk, alley, street, road, public way or highway of this State or upon the public property of the State or of any municipality or county in this State while wearing a mask or other device which conceals his identity.”
Robberies with toy guns
As reported by the Office of Justice Programs, toy guns have been used in several robberies and police encounters. New York Attorney General Letitia James, in a bid to promote firearm safety, wanted to push legislation to make toy firearms less realistic, as to avoid any dangerous situations.
James stated:
"When toy guns are indistinguishable from actual firearms, the consequences can, and have been, deadly. We must take action to protect our children and our communities. In my nearly three years as attorney general, I have consistently seen the tragic consequences of split-second decisions when the authenticity of a gun is in question."
The suspect, meanwhile, currently remains under police custody.
