Robbery Suspect Discovers Painful Reason Why You Should Never Bring a Toy Gun to a Bakery Stickup

The gun-brandishing suspect entered an Illinois bakery Tuesday afternoon and told the clerk a robbery was underway.

But even after the clerk handed over the cash, the suspect wasn't satisfied — and forced the clerk into the back of the Calumet City store.

Little did the crook know that the store owner had been watching the entire incident on closed-circuit TV and was waiting...and armed.

The owner shot the suspect seven times.

"I just defended myself, my employee's life," the owner, who asked to not be named for safety concerns, told WMAQ-TV. "I don't feel good about it. It's just the way it happened."

An accomplice who entered the bakery second managed to escape, but the wounded suspect was found about a block away. And that firearm he was holding? Turns out it was a toy gun, WGN-TV reported. The wounded suspect is expected to survive.

Calumet City police said they don’t expect charges against the bakery owner, WBBM-TV reported. In fact, Police Chief Edward L. Gilmore said he's a legal gun owner and was acting well within in his rights, he told WMAQ.

"I think a message should be sent to all would-be criminals out there that business owners have a right to protect themselves," Gilmore added to the station.