LAKE COUNTY, Fla. — Three Burger King employees were robbed and two of them were hit in the head with handguns during a robbery in Leesburg, police said.
"It's evident the manager was also struck in the head with the pistol or something else," said Joe Iozzi with the Leesburg Police Department.
The robbery happened after 10 p.m. Wednesday at 10849 U.S. Highway 441 in Leesburg, police said.
Interactive map: List of similar robberies in Lake County
One of the workers was walking out of the restaurant at the end of his shift when one of the masked men forced him back into the store.
Police said two masked men robbed the workers, got money from the safe, forced them into the freezer and took their cellphones. Police won't say how much money was taken.
The employees were not seriously hurt.
"You never know nowadays. You don't feel safe at home. You can't feel safe at work. You can't feel safe anywhere and this is supposed to be a place to raise your children," said Jacqueline Brands, a housemate of one of the victims.
Police have vague descriptions of the robbers.
Leesburg police said the robbery is similar to another robbery May 18 at McDonald's in Mt. Dora. Both agencies are working together to see if the robberies are connected, agencies said.
The robbery is also similar to two incidents at a Denny's in Eustis. Three masked men robbed a customer and workers in February and earlier this month, police said. In one of the incidents, the victims were forced into a freezer.
There was also a robbery at a Dollar General in Mount Dora earlier this week, when a man with a gun robbed the place. A second man, with his face covered, walked into the store briefly, but turned around and left, police said. Police said they're investigating to see if the robbery is related to others in the area.
Channel 9's Jeff Deal is following this developing story. Follow him on Twitter and Eyewitness News for updates.
See video of the robbery at the McDonald's below:
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