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A manager of a Sonic in St. Joseph, Mo., recently staged a lunchtime mugging, recruiting someone to enter the restaurant with a real-looking toy gun and hold it to an employee's head. Problem was, employees weren't the only ones taken by surprise: When authorities received frantic reports from panicked customers of a potential hostage situation, they sped to the restaurant to resolve it.
"The officers quickly determined this was a training exercise," St. Joseph Police Department commander Jim Connors recounts. "We forcefully got the message across that's not expected behavior."
Sonic did not return calls and e-mails seeking comment, so it's unclear whether the manager was following a corporate directive. Connors reports the St. Joe police also contacted Sonic in the wake of the incident, but have not yet received a response.
No arrests were made in conjunction with the pseudo-crime.
Fast food restaurants are frequently targeted by robbers: According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, dozens of fast food workers are killed every year, usually in the course of late-night armed robberies. Asked whether St. Joe's fast food restaurants have been plagued by violent crime, Connors said "No."
"If you're going to do this," he added, "At least do it when customers aren't there."
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11-13-2009 @6:16AM susan mason said... My ex boss did this to me! The Bagel Inn in Boylston, Massachusetts, boss was John Lory! I was to pick up bagels 5:00 AM to bring them to the store! It was winter and cold! I opened the door and saw that the regerister was turned and open! We had another regerister in the back and I thought, someone might still be in the store!! I went to the post office across the street and had them call the police. The police took ME in for fingerprinting!! Are you kidding!? When I finally, talked to my "boss" all he asked was " Was there any coins left?" Never asked me if i was alright! He was an idiot! He set the whole thing up for insurance then closed the store!
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11-13-2009 @6:26AM dennis said... ============================================================ FORTUNATELY NO CUSTOMER IN THAT STORE SUFFERED A HEART ATTACK OTHERWISE THAT SONIC AND THAT MANAGAER WOULD BE UP TO THEIR LAZOOS IN LAW SUITS ==================================
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11-13-2009 @6:29AM Deputy53 said... As retired Law Enforcement I carry 24/7...what do you think would have happened if I "drew down" on said robber, and he/she didn't follow my command's...and I shot and killed them? My life would be over! We ALWAYS have to be right & make split second decisions. I am just glad I wasn't THERE!
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11-13-2009 @7:22AM Gary said... I don't know about Deputy53 up there, but the scenario was that a guy had a gun to the employees head. He says what would have happened if he had yelled for them to put the gun down and they didn't, and he shot them. The fact is, I am also a law enforcement officer, and in that scenario, there is no "put the gun down" warning, its an instant shoot the guy holding the gun to the head of the employee scenario. A warning in that situation would usually get the employee and/or the cop killed. No warning is needed when a person in a scenario like that is holding a gun to a persons head.
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11-13-2009 @7:24AM bernie said... In most states waitresses have a hourly pay of $2.13 to $2.25 an hour and depend on tips to survive.And it's real work.Just the other day on a blog correction officers were complaining about 15 dollars an hour plus perks.Officers have to know how to handcuff,mace,use a billy club, and fill out a report.Which job is more demanding?the waitress or the c.o.? Which one has to be good at figures,polite,alert,and a good memory?
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11-13-2009 @7:35AM Captain Bob said... Definitely law-enforcement would have reacted with deadly force if they had been there. But there is also the possibility of an armed good citizen with a concealed handgun permit. While we (I'm a CHL Instructor) always teach that we are NOT law enforcement, we also teach that we can use deadly force to protect our lives and the lives of others. A scenario of a gun to the head of an employee would fall under that category and could have very likely resulted in the actor being shot and killed. I do hope the manager that staged this receives some form of punishment to emphasize the severity of his dumb actions...
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11-13-2009 @6:55PM mylabrookie said... As a police officer we are constantly and always "ON DUTY" to preserve and protect. Had I seen this going down, and with the resturant full of customers, while there are still a lot of issues to be instantanously assessed I probably would have shot the robber. THAT IS THE ABSOLUTE DUMMEST THING ANY MANAGER CAN DO WITH APPROPIATE TRAINING AND NOTIFICATION. IF THE CITY'S pd WOULD HAVE SUPPORTED THE ACTION THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN AN OFFICER KNOWN TO EVERYONE IN THE DEPARTMENT MAYBE IN PLAIN CLOTHES "BUT THERE" TO SEE THAT NOBODY GOT HURT.
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11-13-2009 @7:53AM Jim said... Yes I have a carry permit and always have a concealed gun on me. I would probably "wait" the situation out. But if it looked like someone is going to be hurt, I'd shoot the "robber". Now that would be a FUN experience wouldn't it. Going downtown, being questioned for hours and then having to live with the fact that I had injured or killed someone.
I don't even open our doors at home without a gun in my pocket (or on my person). Too many home invasions.
Yep that "robber" was lucky!
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11-13-2009 @7:54AM Doug Jorgensen said... Yes..perhaps do that little "practice" robbery when place is vacant...could cause harm to someone with heart ailments. I think retired law enforment people to "retire" their weapons too! Why do they get the opp to "carry"? I don't know of any MP's that got that opp to carry after military service? I know of one idividual and I wouldn't trust him for the light of day! I would est 40% of law enforcement people, were jerks in HS and also got into a lot of trouble with the law, and I know a few of them also. You're no better than anyone else that had perhaps a stable law abiding mind!
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11-13-2009 @8:05AM jwb said... thats a dangerous, brainless stunt to pull. I'm a NYC law enforcement officer..and I would have shot that "fake" robber..what a bunch of dimwits.
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11-13-2009 @8:32AM cowgrljul said... What the heck was this person thinking???? to put his Customers and employees through this. I think this person should be Fired, he could have harmed his employees or Customers. What if they was someone in there with a Real gun and wanted to save the day, what would of happened then? to late buddy. someone could have been killed. You are a sad excuse for a Manager and should be dismissed of your duties.
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11-13-2009 @9:27AM Angiebaby said... I can't imagine the customers being too frightened about a gunman in the Sonic. I mean, what's he gonna' do, run from car to car? But seriously, this was a stupid stunt. Training session my ass. I'm guessing the manager was hoping the "pretend" robber would get away with the day's cash, and meet up with him later. Sonic had better fire this idiot.
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11-13-2009 @9:58AM ThisIsNuts! said... If you are going to write this stupid advertising crap, the least you could do is use the correct grammar. Childish and irritating crap to wade through before you can read actual comments.
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11-13-2009 @10:10AM lee said... OMG what an ABSOLUTELY STUPID THING TO DO!!!!!!!!!! I also have a conceal weapon and so do others, in this day an age. they are lucky that someone is not dead!!!!!!!!! and police coming, and could of shot him!!!! then someone would have to know for the rest of there life they shot someone. THAT MANAGER SHOULD BE FIRED!!!!! hello, common sense!!!!!!!!!!!!
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11-13-2009 @10:10AM THORA said...
how old is this manager?? is he still in high-school??
sonic should do the right thing and fire this idiot before he comes up with ANOTHER scheme!!!
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11-13-2009 @10:35AM jake said... so my buddy carries a hand gun, legally. has permit and everything. he would have shot the gun with the gun and killed him. i think the sonic mananger would have then been responsible for murder and sonic would owe millions to the dead persons family.
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11-13-2009 @11:00AM pd39 said... Dam good thing for all concerned there wasn't a citizen around who had a concealed carry permit and was packing. Could very easily have ended up with Sonic paying off the "robber"s family a few million in a wrongful death law suit.
Buncha dumbazzes!
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12-01-2009 @4:51AM John said... Bernie asked: "Which one has to be good at figures,polite,alert,and a good memory?" The waitress, of course. I think they're way underpaid. And at $15/hr, a lot of police are overpaid.
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11-13-2009 @11:00AM What?! said... Ha ha ha That was funny. The manager was so stoopid. ha ha Well, the whole stage reminded me of Richard Henne, the mastermind of the balloon boy hoax. ha ha ha
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11-13-2009 @11:03AM otrpu said... What a moron. If one of his customers had had a heart attack and died he'd be lookin at a lawsuit. Training is a great idea. Lots of better ways to handle it though. Like informing the local police ahead of time and doing the training when the joint is closed. JMHO
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