Jan. 03--A man placed an order at a Checkers restaurant in Broadview, then pried open the drive-thru window, crawled inside with a gun and forced workers to open a safe and a cash register, prosecutors said Saturday.
But Anthony Nelson, 26, was arrested within minutes after an employee hit a panic button and police caught up with him as he tried to hop a fence with nearly $600 in stolen cash, prosecutors said during a bond hearing.
Nelson, of Maywood, was charged with armed robbery with a firearm and carrying a firearm without a license, according to court records. He was ordered held on $350,000 bail by Judge Laura Sullivan.
Nelson had ordered food at the Checkers drive-thru in the 1600 block of West Roosevelt Road in Broadview around 1:20 a.m. Thursday, said Assistant State's Attorney Shawn Abraham.
Nelson pulled up to the window and crawled through it wearing a mask on the bottom part of his face, Abraham said.
Three Checkers employees were working at the time, Abraham said. Nelson ordered one of them to open a safe and the cash register. The worker managed to push a panic button to alert police.
All three employees fled as Nelson took nearly $600 and ran off. He was caught by police not far from the restaurant.
Nelson had thrown away a .380-caliber chrome handgun, but police recovered it and found it loaded with six rounds, Abraham said.
All three Checkers employees identified Nelson in a photo lineup.
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