A 31-year-old man has been charged with attempting to rob a betting shop and possessing a firearm in Sudbury.
The initial incident happened at a store in Borehamgate at about 3.15pm on Wednesday, Suffolk police said.
A man walked into a betting shop and made demands with attempts for money with a weapon described as a firearm.
He then left the scene.
The attempted robbery has been linked to another incident that happened in King Street on the same day.
A man approached a woman asking for a cigarette but she refused, before he then threatened her with what was described as a handgun before leaving the scene.
No-one was hurt in either incident and no money was taken.
Mohamad Al Sarnawi, of Salmon Lane in London, has now been charged with attempted robbery of a bookmakers, possession an imitation firearm with intent to cause unlawful violence, fraud and possession of an imitation firearm with intent to commit robbery.
He was due to appear before Suffolk Magistrates' Court on Friday.
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