Robbing a bar might seem like a solid idea. For one thing, inebriated patrons have slower reaction times and thus easier to deal with. For another, due to many states freaking out over the possibility of someone carrying a firearm having a drink, bars are no-go places for concealed carry license holders.

Assuming, of course, criminals think that far ahead.

However, one thing the crooks in our story this morning weren’t expecting was for the bar to be full of police officers at a retirement party for one of their own.

Whoops.

Police arrested two men quicker than ever on Tuesday evening after they attempted to rob a bar at gunpoint, where a group of off-duty cops were also having a retirement party.

Local authorities said the two masked men who held up Monaghan’s Pub in Baltimore, which sits just across the street from a police station, barged into the business demanding money from the register before taking off.

“I’m sure that they weren’t planning on there being a large room filled with police officers,” Baltimore County police Officer Jennifer Peach told WBAL-TV .

Peach said the officers were gathered in the main room of the bar for the celebration when an employee was held up at gunpoint.

The employee knew the bar had a number of officers in it, so he went and alerted the officers, who then chased down the two suspects.

Yeah, it’s a little disappointing. I was kind of hoping it would be like this scene (Warning for language, thus not safe for work):

Still, the alleged bad guys were caught, arrested, and no one got hurt.

Isn’t it funny, though, how many states won’t recognize a private citizen’s right to carry in a bar–regardless of whether he consumes any alcohol or not–but police officers are free to do so?

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not begrudging our boys and girls in blue carrying anywhere they want. They can and should be carrying at all times. Even (especially?) in bars where people can easily get stupid and try to start stuff with deadly weapons such as broken beer bottles, knives, or firearms they bring into the bar illegally.

Instead, my point is about the rest of us. Had this situation been two guys wanting to hurt people while robbing a bar, and the police officers not been there, there’s literally nothing anyone could have done except become a victim.

Luckily, that wasn’t the case this time. The good guys caught the alleged bad guys and, if convicted, these bad guys will have to explain how they were dumb enough to rob a bar filled with cops while they’re in prison. Frankly, that kind of adds to the punishment if you ask me. Luckily, though, the court won’t consider that if and when sentences are passed down. At that point, only their crime will be considered.

Assuming, of course, they don’t end up with some ridiculous deal that keeps them out of prison and on the street despite committing a violent felony. In this day and age, that’s a possibility too.