He came. He saw. He repented.
Israel Camacho went from despised criminal to tragic figure in only a few minutes after his feeble attempt to rob a MetroPCS store in Pompano Beach in July was caught on tape.
On Wednesday, the "repentant robber" told a judge he has already paid for his sins and that he was not guilty of the crime that never really happened.
Camacho, 37, is charged with attempted robbery, and pleaded not guilty. He is also charged with robbery with a firearm after police claim he robbed a Payless Shoe Store despite his born-again attitude in the MetroPCS store just a few minutes earlier.
On July 23, Camacho walked in the cell phone store and after pretending to be interested in buying a new phone, pulled out a gun and pointed it at the clerk, 20-year-old Nayara Goncalves. The young clerk then began an impromptu sermon, preaching to Camacho about God and how he didn't have to turn to crime to solve his problems.
The talk clearly moved Camacho, who said he was just trying to come up with $300 to pay his rent before his family was evicted. He then backed out of the store, apologizing and then admitting that the gun was really a toy.
But police think the holy message didn't stick with Camacho for too long because he used the toy gun to rob the shoe store down the street from the MetroPCS store.
Witnesses said after emptying the register, Camacho told the cashier, "God bless you."
