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70-year-old robbed bank because he would 'rather be in jail than at home' with his wife

Lawrence Ripple says he 'no longer wanted to be in that situation'

Wednesday 07 September 2016 23:42 BST
Lawrence Ripple in an undated photo provided by the Wyandotte County Detention Center
Lawrence Ripple in an undated photo provided by the Wyandotte County Detention Center (AP)

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A man who has been accused of robbing a bank in Kansas has said he would rather be sent to prison than live with his wife.

Lawrence Ripple, a 70-year-old from Kansas, handed a note to a Bank of Labor teller, saying he had a gun, before stealing almost $3,000.

Instead of fleeing, he went and sat in the lobby and told guards he was the person they were looking for.

Once arrested, he informed investigators he had been arguing with his wife and he would “rather be in jail than at home”, CBS News reported.

Ripple told an FBI agent that he had written the note he handed to the bank teller in front of his wife and “no longer wanted to be in that situation,” according to the Daily Mail.

The pensioner has been charged with bank robbery and is set to appear in court.

There is no recorded attorney listed for Ripple, who has been released on bail, Fox News reported.

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