WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — For at least the fifth time in the last several weeks, robbers have targeted an area restaurant late at night.
This time Wilmington Police are looking for two men who robbed the Domino’s on Carolina Beach Road just after midnight.
As the employees were leaving police say two black males with red bandanas over their faces forced the workers back in the store at gunpoint. The suspects robbed the safe and put the victims in the freezer.
This is at least the fifth armed robbery of a fast food restaurant in the Wilmington area in past month. Thieves have made similar heists at the Pizza Hut in Leland, Burger King on S. 17th St., Pizza Hut on Oleander Drive and IHOP on Market St.
“It’s definitely something for concern,” said Brad Corpening, one of the owner’s of Chop’s Deli, with locations downtown and in Monkey Junction.
The trend has business owners like Corpening worried about the safety of their customers and employees.
“Money can be earned again but I just want to make sure that everybody is safe and can get out of a potentially dangerous situation,” Corpening said.
In all five restaurant robberies there’s been at least one suspect with a blue or red bandana covering his face. Police have not said if that indicates a connection to a gang problem they say has led to a rash of shootings in Wilmington the past few months.
We tried to talk with one of the detectives assigned to the case, but Wilmington Police spokeswoman Linda Rawley would not let us talk with him after we questioned online her willingness to help us with information about the investigation.