Police: Man Pulls Out Knife to Bum Cigarette

Asking nicely usually tends to work when bumming a cigarette, but one man wasn't taking any chances.

Paul Flannelly, of 444 Harrison Ave. was arrested Friday at 3:55 p.m. and charged with armed robbery by means of assault with a dangerous weapon. The stolen property was one cigarette. 

Two people were smoking outside 745 Boylston St. and told police Flannelly approached them, asked for a cigarette, then pulled out a knife.

"Upon seeing the knife the victims feared for their safety and thought they were being robbed," the police report says. "[They] gave the suspect a cigarette and he put the knife in his pocket and walked away."

The knife was recovered from Flannelly and turned in as evidence after he was arrested.