I need a loan: An armed retiree's plea during a robbery in Santa Fe

An unusual yet poignant incident occurred on Wednesday afternoon, April 9, in the city of Santa Fe, Argentina, when a retiree over 70 years old robbed a health food store in the Sargento Cabral neighborhood. The incident was shocking not only because of the perpetrator's unusual age, but also because of the assailant's desperate, almost pleading tone, which highlighted a harsh social reality.

It all happened in a store located on General Paz Street, 5000. Valentina, the young employee, said that the man came in and said, "I need a loan." Thinking it was a joke, she responded with a laugh. But the situation changed abruptly when the retiree pulled out a gun and said seriously, "This is a robbery."

Although he didn't point it directly at her, the man showed it while his attitude became increasingly nervous. "Give me the money, I need it," he insisted, his tone more pleading than threatening. "Give it to me because I'm not going to be responsible for myself," he said, visibly upset.

Valentina tried to calm him down: "I don't have anything, sir." But the man insisted: "How could you not? Give it to me, please, I'm asking you." Fearing the situation would escalate, the young woman handed him the money from the register, clarifying that it was intended for the suppliers. The entire moment was recorded by the store's security cameras.

In the images, you can see how the employee points out different places for him to verify there was no more cash. “Don't threaten me, I don't have any more money! Go ahead and look. Don't make me nervous,” she can be heard saying. As soon as she had the chance, Valentina left the scene and ran to a nearby grocery store to ask for help.

According to the victim, the robber stole nearly 200,000 Argentine pesos and managed to escape after entering an aisle on Lavalle Street. Despite attempts by some neighbors to track him, the man remains at large and has not yet been identified. Police are reviewing security camera footage to advance the investigation.

Beyond the robbery itself, the case raised a social alarm. The image of an armed elderly man begging for money puts the vulnerable situation many retirees in Argentina in the spotlight. This wasn't a common robbery: it was a plea with a gun in his hand, a reaction born of desperation and abandonment.

Behind this crime lies a silent cry for help, from someone who, after a lifetime of work, finds no refuge in his old age. A story that hurts more for what it represents than for what happened.