PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh police are searching for a would-be robber who they said pepper sprayed and pistol-whipped the manager of a fast food restaurant and ran off.
Officers were called shortly after 7 a.m. Wednesday to the Wendy’s on Butler Street in Lawrenceville.
According to police, an employee who was taking out the trash noticed the gunman, wearing all black, pacing in the alleyway. As the employee went to enter the restaurant, the gunman approached, pointed a weapon at the employee and demanded to see the manager.
Once inside the restaurant, the would-be robber then ordered the manager to open the safe. When the manager couldn’t, the man became upset and pepper sprayed the manager in the face and hit him in the back of the head with the butt of his weapon, police said.
The manager suffered a head injury and was taken to a hospital. The owner of the Wendy’s told
that the manager is going to be OK.
The man ran off without getting any money. Police said he was wearing a hat, gloves, sunglasses and a ski mask. They believe he was between 18 and 25 years old.
The owner of the restaurant told Fisher that since he took ownership of the fast food restaurant a year ago, Wednesday was the first time any type of criminal activity had taken place. He added that he’s confident that surveillance video will allow police to track down the masked man.
He also told Fisher that safety of his employees is his number one concern, and that safes are not accessible to anyone inside or outside the restaurant, including managers.
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