Man claims he robbed bank to escape living with his wife

A 70-year-old man charged with robbing a Kansas City, Kan., bank said he did it because he preferred a jail cell over living with his wife.

Lawrence John Ripple is charged in federal court with the Friday afternoon robbery of the Bank of Labor at 756 Minnesota Ave.

According to court documents, Ripple handed a teller a note that read, “I have a gun, give me money.” The teller complied.

But instead of fleeing, Ripple took the money and then took a seat in the bank lobby, according to the documents.

When a bank security guard approached him, Ripple told the guard, “I’m the guy you’re looking for.”

The guard took the money from Ripple and held him until police arrived, which wasn’t long, because Kansas City, Kan., police headquarters is on the same block.

When he was questioned later by investigators, Ripple told him that he and his wife had argued and he “no longer wanted to be in that situation,” according to the documents.

“Ripple wrote out his demand note in front of his wife … and told her he'd rather be in jail than at home,” an FBI agent wrote in the affidavit filed in support of the robbery charge.