Police Search for 3 Men Who Robbed 2 Restaurants

Pasadena police were hunting Saturday for three men who carried out takeover robberies at two restaurants in about 30 minutes on Friday night.

The trio, wearing ski masks and dressed in black from head to toe, burst into the eateries, stealing wallets and cellphones from diners and cleaning out the tills.

The robberies were more frightening for the victims than most because of the men’s attire, police said. “I’m a police officer, and I’d be scared,” Lt. David Richter said. He said there were few leads in the case. The men were described by witnesses only as being in their late teens to early 20s.

The thieves struck Roscoe’s House of Chicken ‘n Waffles at 830 N. Lake Ave. about 9:15 p.m., ordering customers to lie on the floor and hand over their valuables. They fled on foot after emptying the cash register.

About half an hour later, police said, the thieves repeated the scene less than three miles away at Marie Callender’s at 2300 E. Foothill Blvd.

At least one of the robbers waved a handgun during the heists, but no shots were fired, Richter said. No injuries were reported.