Mishawaka police looking for man who robbed Mancino's employees at gun point

Mishawaka Police are looking for a man they say robbed a local restaurant and held the employees at gunpoint.

It was around 8:30, just before closing time, when employees at Mancino's on Lincoln Way East near Bittersweet Road in Mishawaka when the armed man came in.

“Employees were cleaning up, a person walks in with a deadly weapon, and threatens them,” Mishawaka Assistant Police Chief Dan Gebo said.
 
They were threatened at gun point and forced into an area of the restaurant and locked up.

“Takes the money in the register and then tells them to stay here and then leaves,” Gebo said.

The stretch of Lincoln Way East where Mancino's is located is well-lit and busy, a surprising setting police say for this kind of crime.

“That particular neighborhood is really safe, it's really quiet, most businesses close up around that time, there's not a lot of bars around that area,” Gebo said.
 
But what is not so surprising is the timing according to Gebo.

“This time of the season, people are looking to get money and they are desperate, I should say criminals are looking to get money, they are desperate and they will do anything,” Gebo said.
 
And as the man who robbed Mancino's found, small restaurants and shops have very little in the cash register.

“I don't know why people rob businesses like that, it's a mom and pop shop, or a store that doesn't have a lot of money and they deal with credit cards, most businesses,” Gebo said.

ABC 57 reached out to a spokesperson from Mancino's but has yet to hear back as of Thursday night.

Police say they are looking for a man about six feet tall, 160 pounds and somewhere between the ages of 18 to 30 years old.