A former McDonald’s employee has been arrested after he allegedly robbed the restaurant while wearing a clown mask.
Juan Ramon Rivera, 20, is charged with felonies for robbery and criminal confinement, according to a Bloomington Police Department press release.
Police responded at about 3 a.m. Wednesday to the McDonald’s at 2813 E. Third St. after a call about a robbery in progress.
The suspect had fled through the restaurant’s back door by the time an officer arrived, but witnesses described him as a black man wearing all black and a clown mask.
Witnesses told police the masked man had displayed a semiautomatic handgun, grabbed the manager’s head and forced him into a back room.
From there, he took about $900 in cash.
Later Wednesday, police continued to interview witnesses, who told them they believed the robber to be Rivera, a former employee.
They said Rivera had shown them the same mask he wore during the robbery and showed police a picture of Rivera wearing the mask.
Detectives served a search warrant on Rivera’s apartment.
The time and location of the apartment were not specified in the press release.
There, police found the mask, a pellet gun and about half the stolen cash.
Rivera was home and taken into custody.
He confessed to the robbery and told police he’d needed the money to pay rent.
He was arrested and taken to Monroe County Correctional Center.
Jack Evans
