Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, May 22, 1994 TAG: 9405220097
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: E-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: LISA APPLEGATE STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
"This cat was cool, calm and collected. He was no rookie - he knew what he was doing."
Radford police Sgt. Wayne Frye said there is a possibility that the robber is experienced.
"There are similarities to the robbery" of the Country Cookin' restaurant at 2020 Roanoke St. in Christiansburg on April 23, Frye said.
The man who robbed Country Cookin' waited until 10:45 p.m. - just before closing time.
The Pizza Hut at 310 Norwood St. was robbed a little less than an hour before closing, when business usually slows down.
The manager of the Pizza Hut, who asked that his name not be used, said the robber must have watched the restaurant for several days to find the most opportune moment.
The robber entered through the back door, which was unlocked so that a worker could get supplies from a storage shed. "We only open that door two or three times a night, so he must have known when we do it."
The manager said the man walked in pointing a handgun and told the three delivery people to lie on the floor. Four customers, who had paid for their meals and were getting ready to leave, also were asked to lie down.
"I got a little scared when he did that," the manager said. "So I asked him not to hurt us."
The manager got up and opened the register drawer for the robber. He said he was not allowed to disclose the amount of money taken.
The Country Cookin' robber forced the employees into the walk-in freezer.
The Pizza Hut robber asked all seven people to get into the walk-in freezer, then stuck a wire hanger through the door handle.
They didn't have to wait long to get out: The waitress, claustrophobic and panicked, kicked the door open.
The robber in each incident wore a hood over his face, giving police little to go on.
Frye said he will be in contact with Christiansburg police to investigate the possibility of a repeat restaurant robber.
by CNB