Robbery suspect flees on riding mower

November 19, 2010

After allegedly robbing a convenience store yesterday morning in, South Carolina, United States, a man fled the scene on a riding lawnmower. Police apprehended the suspect near the scene.

According to the Aiken County Sheriff's Office, Ricky New entered the store carrying a large stick, demanded money, assaulted the clerk with the stick, and left with an undisclosed amount of money. He then tried to make his getaway on a Craftsman mower. His face was concealed by a towel, but Ricky New lives nearby and the clerk identified him promptly after the incident.

New has been charged with armed robbery, and first degree.

Captain Troy Elwell, a spokesman for the Sheriff's Office, said "Never seen anything quite like this one. I’ve seen some strange cases, but a getaway vehicle as a lawnmower.  That doesn’t take a whole lot of thought to figure out that you’re not going to get too far on it."

"I’m getting a good amount of calls on this", he also said.