A white-bearded man robbed a Colorado bank two days before Christmas before handing out banknotes to passers-by wishing them a happy holiday, US media reports.
US state police confirmed the story in a statement, saying an 'elderly white man' threatened staff at an Academy bank in Colorado Springs with an unidentified weapon before fleeing. the establishment with wads of notes for an unspecified amount.
"He took some money out of his bag and started throwing it to the winds, shouting 'Merry Christmas!'", said Dion Pascale, witness of the scene, on the local television channel KKTV 11 News.
The man, named David Wayne Oliver, 65, was arrested without resistance at a nearby cafe after the incident, police said. Police told local media that he was apparently unarmed when arrested.
Passers-by tried to return the stolen money to the bank, according to witnesses at the scene interviewed by local media. A police official, however, told the Denver Post that thousands of dollars are still missing.
