Restaurant robbed at gunpoint

Ben’s Barbecue was robbed at gunpoint Thursday night as employees were closing the restaurant, according to police.

A masked male suspect took more than $1,000 in cash contained in two deposit bags, Clovis Police Capt. Patrick Whitney said.

Around 9 p.m. a female employee was in the back of the restaurant, located at 1421 Prince Street, preparing the night deposit when the suspect came through the back door, pointed a black semi-automatic handgun at her and said “give me all your money,” Whitney said.

The woman said she put the deposit bags in his backpack and he fled out the back, Whitney said.

Witnesses described the suspect as an approximately 5-feet-5-inches tall, average build male wearing a black “puffy” jacket with a Nike symbol on the arm, black pants, a black backpack and a black three-hole ski mask.

“Robberies do go up during the holidays,” Whitney said, encouraging residents to be aware of their surroundings and alert during the season.

Anyone with information on the robbery can call Crime Stoppers: 763-7000