MOUNT DORA, Fla. — A trio of armed men stormed into a McDonald's early Thursday and robbed the restaurant, its workers and its customers, the Mount Dora Police Department said.
The robbers -- each of whom was armed with a gun, dressed in black and wore either a mask or a bandana -- barged into the restaurant at about 3:30 a.m. at U.S. 441 and North Donnelly Street, police said.
In a few minutes on EWN at Noon...How three men pulled off armed robbery inside Mt Dora McDonald's. #wftv pic.twitter.com/vy3jkI0teo
— Jeff Deal (@JDealWFTV) May 18, 2017
Investigators said the robbers put a gun to the head of the store manager, who is pregnant, and ordered her to open the cash drawer and a safe, threatening to shoot her if she didn't do it quickly.
"I was in the kitchen making sandwiches as I normally do and my manager turned around the corner and she was being held by the guy," employee Amanda Ward said.
The same McDonald's was robbed in February and Ward was working that night as well.
"Immediately, it was like, 'Oh boy, this again,'" she said.
Police said the men rounded up three employees and four customers and ordered them into a freezer.
"I tried calling the cops, but there's no service," Ward said. "(I) tried different locations trying to get service."
A customer pulled up to the drive-thru window and saw the trio running away, and the customer called 911 and drove away, investigators said.
The robbers, who are believed to have fled with about $2,000, remain at large, police said.
Police said the robbery was recorded by a surveillance camera.
No one was injured, but Ward was worried about the robbers remaining on the loose.
"I'm just trying to work my job," she said. "I shouldn't have to fear for my life to do my job."
The incident remains under investigation.
Cox Media Group
