Sledge hammer wielding thieves rob McDonald’s

By DEUCE NIVEN

    An early morning robbery at the McDonald’s in Tabor City netted thieves who ordered employees into a freezer an undisclosed amount of cash, Capt. Russell Conway of the Tabor City Police Department said.
    Conway said the robbers, both armed with handguns, were methodical and calm, gaining entry into the closed store at about 12:25 a.m. at gunpoint.
    A store manager who was preparing to leave was met at the door by the gunmen, one carrying a sledge hammer, who demanded that she open the door or he would smash his way in, Conway said.
    “She allowed them entry,” Conway said. “It was the right thing to do.”
    Once inside the robbers ushered “at least five” employees into the freezer, taking one to the store safe and demanding that he open it. One of the robbers then took cash from the safe.
    Employees walked out of the freezer a few minutes later, and found that the robbers were gone. A white Chevrolet Cobalt owned by one of the employees was also gone, Conway said. It was found later Monday morning, burned, near Chadbourn.
    For more on this story see the April 30 Tabor-Loris Tribune in print and on-line.