Florida man's attempt to withdraw 1 cent from bank sparks robbery allegation

The accused filled out a withdrawal slip for just one cent. (Representational)

A man from Florida, US, has been charged with robbery after attempting to withdraw a single cent from a bank. On June 29, Michael Fleming walked into a Chase Bank branch in the early afternoon and filled out a withdrawal slip for one cent, according to an arrest report.

Fleming, 41, handed the slip to a bank teller, who informed him that the request couldn't be processed. This prompted Fleming to make a statement perceived as threatening: "So you want me to say the other word?" The teller, fearing for their safety, immediately contacted the police.

When authorities arrived, they found Fleming still inside the bank. The suspect later revealed in a recorded interview that he had intended to get arrested, stating, "Most of the time, the way tellers are trained if someone comes in to rob you, you give them the money and let them go."

His plan was simple: he expected the teller to hand over the one cent, after which he would calmly wait for the police. Fleming did not have an account with Chase Bank, and it remains unclear what account information he provided.

The man had initially gone to a Citizens First Bank but found it closed, according to the arrest report.

Charged with one count of robbery without a firearm or weapon, Fleming is currently detained at the Sumter County Detention Center with a $5,000 bond. He has no previous guilty convictions for robbery and is unclear what he wanted to do at the bank.