Avon pizza place robbed at gunpoint

AVON, Ind. (WISH) - Four Little Caesar's employees are safe after police say they were all robbed at gunpoint Saturday night.

Officials say a robber forced the workers to tie each other up with zip-ties before he fled the restaurant.

Police say the robber was inside the restaurant for 12 minutes and every move he and the employees made was recorded.

"We're looking at a situation where these people were very fortunate to have not been injured during the course of this," said Avon Police Detective Brian Nugent.

Police say just after the restaurant on US 36 in Avon closed, a clerk opened the door for a man he thought was in need of help. But, the man pulled out a gun and demanded money from the safe.

Police say the suspect eventually walked to the safe and helped himself.

While all this was happening, an employee was sitting next to the front door, waiting for a ride home. Police say she was in a state of shock.

"She's not as sure what to do; she realizes this guy has a gun and the robbery is actually taking place," Det. Nugent said.

Investigators said the suspect then ordered three workers on the floor. Then, lead them to the back of the restaurant where a fourth employee was washing dishes.

Investigators say the suspect rounded up the workers and forced them to tie each other up with zip-ties before putting them in a bathroom.

"Fortunately, that bathroom does not lock from the outside; it actually locks from the inside so as soon as they heard the door shut, they knew he was gone. They kicked the door out came out and called 911," Det. Nugent.

Police said the employees did the right thing. Now, they want to do the right thing and catch the gunman.

They're turning to social media putting the suspect’s picture on Facebook. It's a strategy that's worked well for them in the past.

"As far as the cases that they've put in there and a good percentage, a high percentage of those have been solved because of people on Facebook," said Avon Asst. Chief Bill Weems.

Police say before the suspect left the restaurant, he attempted to break a security camera with a baton, but the system was still recording.

Anyone with information about the case is asked to call Avon Police Department at 317-272-4485.