Armed Man Robs Rancho Bernardo Eatery

SAN DIEGO, CA -- An armed man robbed an eatery in Rancho Bernardo, pistol whipped an employee there, but was unable to keep his booty when he ran into a pillar during his escape, dropping the money but not his gun, a police officer said Sunday.

An employee was closing up a Jersey Mike's restaurant, 15800 Bernardo Center Drive, when the suspect entered through an open back door a little after 10:45 p.m. Saturday and forced the employee to open up the register, said Officer John Buttle of the San Diego Police Department.

The suspect then had the employee open a safe and the victim gave the armed robber a money envelope, Buttle said.

"The suspect took the envelope, pistol whipped the victim and fled out the back door," he said, adding that the victim suffered a laceration to his head from the attack.

And while the suspect was running away he ran into a pillar, knocking him to the ground and dropping the money envelope -- but not the gun, he said.

The suspect then ran across a pedestrian bridge over Camino Del Norte.

The suspect was described as a 5-foot, 10-inch tall white male between 20 to 30 years old and 150 to 160 pounds. He was last seen wearing a black hoodie, black bandana, with the hoodie drawn tight around his face. He also wore dark pants and black running shoes.

San Diego police asked anyone with any information regarding the robbery to call Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477.

--City News Service/Shutterstock image