By NICOLE WILLIAMS
TWO Pakenham restaurant workers were threatened with a knife after chasing a robber down the street on Tuesday night.
Cardinia Crime Investigation Unit believe the man entered the Lime Leaf Restaurant on Lakeside Boulevard about 9.25pm on Melbourne Cup Day and stole money from the cash register by leaning over the counter.
Lime Leaf Restaurant owner Joey Lim said he was preparing to close the restaurant at 9.30pm.
He was bringing in the outdoor furniture from the rear of the restaurant when he noticed a man running out the front door.
“Suddenly, when I was bringing the last big table in, I saw someone walking out the front door very fast, so I ran to the cash register and all the money was gone,” he said.
Mr Lim said he and a waiter from nearby Shavans at Pakenham gave chase.They caught up to the robber on Lakeside Boulevard however he threatened the pair with a knife before fleeing again.
“We were wrestling him and I grabbed him and he said he had a knife, so we both backed off that the same time,” he said.
The man was last seen running across Lakeside Boulevard towards Coles.
The till box with coins and a screwdriver was dropped during the scuffle but the thief still made off with most of the cash, according to Mr Lim.
Despite the frightening experience, Mr Lim said it was lucky nobody got hurt and the incident wasn’t worse as his son usually sat at the counter during the clean-up.
“As long as everyone is fine. As long as we didn’t get attacked.”
Although the restaurant was still open at the time, no customers were in the restaurant during the theft.
Mr Lim said CCTV footage caught images of the man as he fled the restaurant.
The man was described as Caucasian, skinny with short light coloured hair and aged in his mid-20s. He was wearing a black suit jacket, white top and reading glasses at the time of the theft.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Cardinia Crime Investigation Unit on 5945 2500 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
