Karate senior scares off would-be crooks

NEW YORK, Nov. 12 (UPI) -- A 57-year-old New York man with a history of karate lessons says he used his martial arts skills to scare off three young would-be thieves.

Grandfather-of-six Diogenes Angeles said after being confronted by the three young men on his way to a pharmacy, he punched one of his would-be robbers and all three quickly fled the scene, the New York Daily News said Wednesday.

"They see that I am kind of old and figured they can just come and rob me," the retired sign painter said.

"Once they saw I could defend myself, they ran away," Angeles added. "I hope they learn from this and don't attack other people."

Angeles credited karate lessons he began taking at the age of 14 for thwarting Tuesday's potential robbery.

Police later arrested three suspects in relation to the incident, the Daily News said.

Those men have been identified as Eugene Sanchez, 19, Rakeem Johnson, 23, and Jason Lopez, 25.