WASHINGTON — Sometimes police officers aren’t in full uniform. A would-be robber in Northeast learned that the hard way this weekend.

According to D.C. police, on Jan. 10 a 19-year-old wearing a mask walked into a 7-Eleven in Northeast and made clear what he was trying to do.

“This is a stickup,” Jeffrey Wood announced, according to police.

Turns out, two Metropolitan Police Department detectives were at the convenience store at the time.

One detective, walking to the counter while it was all unfolding, stopped the would-be robber in his tracks.

While the attempted robbery in front of police detectives could be fodder for a punch line, police don’t see it that way.

“It’s a very serious offense,” says Capt. William Fitzgerald. “Things like this could go very bad easily.”

Wood was arrested and charged with attempted robbery. He was not armed.

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