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TGIS: Thank God It's Schadenfreude! (145)

By Colin Samuels

This week's joy in the misfortune of others comes courtesy of the Associated Press (from Wednesday, December 12; link good at time of posting:

When a robber started taking cash from his register over the weekend, Dunkin' Donuts employee Dustin Hoffmann fought back by clobbering the man with a ceramic mug. But Hoffmann admits he was less worried about the stolen cash than how he might look on the video-sharing site YouTube.

"What was going through my mind at that point was that the security tape is either going to show me run away and hide in the office or whack this guy in the head, so I just grabbed the cup and clocked the guy pretty hard," Hoffmann told The Record of Bergen County for Tuesday's editions.

The incident happened Sunday evening when the robber came into the westbound Route 46 Dunkin' Donuts and ordered a pastry, according to Elmwood Park Police Chief Donald Ingrasselino. Once Hoffmann opened the register, the robber jumped over the counter and started taking cash.

Police said Hoffmann grabbed the man's wrists while hitting him with the mug, which is used to hold tips. Hoffmann managed to scare away the robber, who made out with just $90 and left behind a baseball cap police are holding to test for DNA evidence.

. . . .

As for YouTube fame, Hoffmann said he'll put up the surveillance video himself when it becomes available.

"There are only a few videos like that on YouTube now, so mine's going to be the best," he said. "That'll teach this guy."

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Full post as published by Infamy or Praise on December 14, 2007 (boomark / email).