SYRACUSE (AP) -- A shoplifting incident that turned into an armed robbery has landed a Syracuse man in state prison.
Authorities say 19-year-old Calvin Glen was trying to leave an Army-Navy store without paying for some shoes last September when he found the door locked to keep out new customers at closing time. Officials say Glen and another defendant started punching a store employee and Glen waved a knife, leading to the armed robbery charge.
Glen pleaded guilty to a felony charge of first-degree robbery.
At sentencing on Tuesday, Onondaga County Judge Anthony Aloi noted that when a probation officer asked why he did it, Glen replied, "I don't know. I needed shoes."
The judge told Glen those shoes were going to cost him up to five years in prison.
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