Wendy’s Robber Thwarted When Hit With Wooden Chair

An attempted robbery of a Yuba City, California Wendy’s on Christmas was thwarted by a customer who hit the would-be robber in the head with a wooden chair, according to police.

The suspect entered the fast food restaurant around 5:30 p.m. Monday with an off-white plaid pillowcase over his head, armed with a kitchen knife. The man pushed past a line of customers up to the register and pointed the large knife at the cashier.

Before the suspect got any money or food from the cashier, a customer smashed the man’s pillowcase covered head with a wooden chair.

“At first, I thought it was a gag. But I was thinking to myself, this isn’t the appropriate venue for a gag. And then I noticed he had a knife in his hand,” said the customer who only wanted to be identified as Daniel to KCRA Tuesday. “I had my hand on one of those big tall chairs in there, and I kept an eye on him, still thinking this might be a prank. Well, he cut in front of the line, walked up to the window and said give me the money. At that time, I had the chair in both my hands and I had taken about two steps -- and it was coming down on his head!”

Daniel, 58, said that he intended to knock the suspect out.

“I hit him hard, I hit him really hard. I could hear the chair crack,” said Daniel.

Yuba City Police Department Lt. Jim Runyen told the Sacramento Bee that the suspect went down to the floor, popped back up and fled the restaurant into a white sedan with a getaway driver.

“I’m sure it didn’t feel good ... he didn’t even try to continue what he was doing,” said Runyen.