London:
A bank robber in the UK has been jailed for over two years after a hilarious goof-up in which he gave the cashier his name 30 minutes before raiding the bank in a "terrible disguise" of sunglasses.
Dean Smith, 27, of Treorchy, Wales, went to Barclays to change his address and saw the money in the tills, the Merthyr Crown Court heard.
He returned half an hour later to raid the bank dressed in a "terrible disguise" of sunglasses and wearing socks over his shoes, BBC reported.
The cashier refused to give him money and Smith ran away empty handed.
South Wales Police quickly tracked him down because he told cashier Catherine Stockton his full name and address half an hour before the attempted robbery.
Smith admitted attempted robbery and carrying a bladed weapon.
"She could see he was holding a bread knife across his body as he demanded all the cash to be handed over," prosecutor Rachel Knight said.
"He was not shouting. He was rushed but not angry or agitated. He sounded desperate. Ms Stockton raised the alarm by pressing the panic button," she said.
Smith has been jailed for two-and-a-half years.
Defending Smith, Stephen Jeary, said: "He told the police it was stupid and he was very sorry but he was desperate for money."