Police look for man who robbed south Charlotte restaurant cashier at gunpoint

CHARLOTTE — Surveillance video shows a man walking into a south Charlotte restaurant moments before police say he robbed the cashier at gunpoint.

It happened Wednesday night at La Preferida Mexican Restaurant, which is on South Boulevard south of Archdale Road.

Channel 9′s Hunter Sáenz spoke with the victim as police searched for the robber. It was a terrifying ordeal for the cashier, who said that man made his move after she took his order.

“We are alive due to a miracle,” Argelia Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez said she took the man’s to-go order and, when he asked for change for a dollar, she opened the register and he pulled out a gun.

“When I went to get the cash, he pointed the gun at me and told me to give him all the money,” Rodriguez said.

“That moment, everything changed. A million things pass through your mind,” she added.

Terrified, Rodriguez said she handed over more than $2,000. She said the man also stole two phones.

“He told us not to call the cops,” she said.

The surveillance video shows that suspect leaving.

“He left calmly,” Rodriguez said.

In the video, you can see workers rushing out after him from the kitchen door. They called police, who are now investigating, but Rodriguez is still in disbelief and angry.

“The biggest thing I’m scared about is a fatal accident at the store,” Rodriguez said.

“It’s painful and frustrating, because I can’t believe people from our community are doing this to our community,” she added.

She describes the suspect as a tall, Hispanic man with facial hair, but she said he put on a mask before robbing the restaurant.

If you have any information about this case, you’re asked to call Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600. You can also reach out by clicking here.

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