A man's attempt at an armed robbery at a store near Denver, Colorado didn't quite go as planned.

Security camera footage from the E-Cig store in Aurora shows a man entering the store with a gun but dropping it behind the counter, running off after failing to climb over it.

It later transpired the weapon was a replica gun.

The incident happened on 2 September and was shared by the Aurora Police Department, asking the public to help identify the man.