"I can't say for certain, they're related, but from what I hear they have very similar MOs," West Bountiful Police Chief Randy Lloyd told members of the media Monday morning.
Police received a call at 8:51 p.m. of an armed robbery at the restaurant, 530 W. 500 South.
Lloyd said two males in their early 20s, one approximately 5 feet, 6 inches tall, the other about 6 feet tall, with dark complexions and dressed in dark clothing entered the restaurant, wielding a shotgun. They went directly to the cashier, who got the manager who then unlocked the safe. "It took about 30 seconds," Lloyd said.
Eyewitness reports said the men had dark complexions, but witnesses differed in their descriptions, some saying they appeared Polynesian, Hispanic or Native American, Lloyd said. They spoke with accents, but witnesses couldn't identify it.
The chief said at the time of the robbery there were a couple of dozen people in the restaurant, including employees.
The two left and headed to the back of the restaurant, where Lloyd believes their vehicle was parked.
As they reached the back, a cook stuck his head out the door. He saw a flash and heard the report of a gunshot and quickly retreated inside.
Lloyd said the two left in a dark Buick four-door, missing license plates. Moments later a silver Toyota pick-up also raced from the lot, but he couldn't say if the two were related.
West Bountiful detectives are working with Salt Lake City police to determine if the robbery is connected to one that happened about an hour before at a downtown Salt Lake City Chuck-a-rama, or to the robbery and murder of a Glendale-area Family Dollar employee earlier last week.
Lloyd said the Winger's did not have surveillance video, but officers are checking the video of nearby stores.
He said at the time of the robbery, one of his officers was only about 200 yards away on another case. He didn't hear the gunshot, but was on the scene almost immediately.
If the two are connected to the Salt Lake area robberies, Lloyd said the suspects are escalating their behavior.
"It's a top priority of the department to catch the men." Lloyd said, "They're definitely not afraid."
mwilliams@davisclipper.com
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