Disturbing Heist With a Historic Weapon
Authorities in Tulsa have apprehended a 24-year-old man accused of using an antique 19th-century pistol to rob a local liquor store. The suspect, who entered the store dressed in pajama pants and a hoodie, was initially turned away for failing to show ID. He returned shortly afterward with the old-style derringer, pointed it at employees, and demanded cash and their identification.
The weapon — described by police as an “old-timey musket” — is reportedly a percussion-style “pocket pistol,” historically rare and possibly dating back to the 1850s.
Arrest and Charges: From Crime Scene to Booking
Officers located the suspect early the next morning in a nearby parking garage after a witness spotted him near a convenience store. Upon searching him, police found stolen cash, an employee’s ID, and the antique firearm. He was promptly booked on first-degree robbery charges. Under state law, that could mean a prison sentence of at least a decade if he is convicted.
Authorities also released a photograph of the pistol to solicit input from antique-gun experts — many of whom pointed out that the derringer may be extremely rare, with very few surviving specimens, potentially making it more valuable than the money taken in the robbery.
The Significance of the Weapon
Derringers — small, single-shot pistols sometimes referred to as “pocket pistols” — were commonly used in the 19th century but have almost entirely vanished from modern crime reports. Their infrequent use in violent offenses today makes this case especially unusual, drawing attention not only for the crime but also for the historic nature of the weapon.
If proven guilty, the accused stands to face substantial prison time. Meanwhile, experts and gun historians have been invited to help authenticate and date the pistol, an artifact that may belong more to history than to a crime scene — but has ended up at the center of both.
