
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, December 23, 1993                   TAG: 9312230222
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: TODD JACKSON STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

PIZZA PAN STOPS WOULD-BE ROBBER

A Domino's Pizza manager flipped his lid early Tuesday upon coming face-to-face with an unexpected customer - a would-be armed robber wearing a Halloween mask.

Robert Cantu, manager of the Domino's on Brandon Avenue Southwest, said the robber entered the store a few minutes after it closed at midnight. When the man pointed a gun at him, Cantu said he ducked into his office a few feet away.

"My plan was to go from my office to the back door to get away," Cantu said. "He was starting to climb over the counter, so I threw a pizza pan lid at him as a distraction, and I took off."

Cantu's diversionary tactic was successful, and he ran from the store down Brandon Avenue until he spotted a police officer.

The robber had fled without taking anything from the store, police said.

Cantu, 20, said he didn't have time to worry about the dangers involved.

"I was more scared after everything happened," he said. "Basically, I just reacted. It happened so fast, I didn't have time to think about it."

by CNB