A homeless man in Fayetteville posed as a police officer during an attempted robbery Monday, calling the interaction a joke, police said.
Witnesses said Justin Larson, 25, pulled an individual from a bicycle about 11:50 a.m. Monday at an E-Z Mart, 4026 W. Wedington Drive in Fayetteville, and pinned the victim against a nearby wall, according to a report.
Police said Larson took the victim's backpack and opened it while the victim's hands were against the wall "in a typical police fashion." No items in the backpack were reported stolen.
The victim, whose identity was not released, had a "medical emergency" and was treated, authorities said in the report.
Fayetteville police said they located Larson about 2:05 p.m. Monday at Northwest Arkansas Mall, 4201 N. Shiloh Drive in Fayetteville, after he fled the scene in a black Chevrolet S-10 Blazer.
Larson is charged with attempted robbery and second-degree false imprisonment. According to Washington County jail records, he had a hearing scheduled for Wednesday.
According to police, Larson has a criminal history of public intoxication, criminal impersonation, second-degree forgery, aggravated robbery and property theft.