Man with white mask flees Lindaman’s on South Hill after trying to pry open cash register

Lindaman’s Gourmet-To-Go on the South Hill was the setting for a bizarre burglary Wednesday evening, when staff saw a man attempting to pry open a cash register while the restaurant was open and full of customers.

Kevin Soderquist, the restaurant’s general manager, said just before 7 p.m., a man walked through the parking lot and into the back door of the store, 1235 S. Grand Blvd., and proceeded to jam one of the restaurant’s knives into an old and unused cash register in a back office.

Soderquist said a bookkeeper stumbled upon the man in the midst of opening the cashless register and told him to stop and leave.

“He said no,” Soderquist said. “She then ran back up to the front of the house and said we needed to call 911.”

And then the suspect ran out the backdoor, the manager said. But not before nabbing one employee’s purse, which was full of cash, ID and credit cards.

“There was no rational behavior about it,” Soderquist said. “You don’t just walk into an open restaurant. We were open.”

Spokane police used a police dog to try to track the burglar, but were unable to find him, they said in a news release. He is described as white, in his 30s and about 5-feet-10-inches tall. He was wearing a white mask, red-hooded sweatshirt and blue jeans.

Police ask anyone with information on the man to call Crime Check at (509) 456-2233.