You can absolutely rob a person that does not have cash though. Even ignoring the value of personal electronic devices credit cards themselves can be a target. You might be able to eventually unwind the financial impact but that doesn't deter robbery.

What you're describing sounds more like a mugging. He was talking about armed robbery of a convenience store. Is it possible to hold them up at gunpoint, forcibly take some of their card-processing equipment, and exfiltrate some money or credit card numbers that way? Probably, but that's not exactly the path of least resistance.

It's possible to steal a box of candy bars, or a case of beer, or the iPad cash register and on and on. Cash is not the only valuable a robber can target. Having large amounts of it on hand may make you a more appealing target but it is only one type of valuable.

> You might be able to eventually unwind the financial impact but that doesn't deter robbery.

Fewer and fewer people having anything on them to rob will deter robbery over time.

Until you find yourself escorted to an ATM at gunpoint.

This is why I don't carry a debit card tied to my main bank account. Just a "ATM only" account that I keep low.

This makes you the 0.000001% of the population.

Yay, guess I’m also part of that very rare club.

Cash is clearly preferred, as every gas station I can remember in the last 20 years offers a discount for paying cash.