Language Barrier Blamed In Report Of Alleged Robbery

Mt. Prospect police believe a language barrier may have caused a misunderstanding between a pizza restaurant employee and a 21-year-old Berwyn man which resulted in the man and two other individuals being detained, handcuffed, and searched by police.

Police responded to Little Caesar's, 1010 S. Elmhurst, after receiving a call that a robbery was in process around 10:20 p.m., April 20.

When officers arrived, they stopped and detained three men, ordering them to lay face down on the ground in front of the restaurant.

The restaurant employee told police one of the men entered the business and asked if the employee would consider selling him three pizzas for $12 and throwing in a free liter of soda.

The employee told police he became nervous and believed the man and the two other individuals he was with were going to rob him. According to police, the man never threatened the employee or displayed a weapon.

Police said the employee dialed 911 after the man reportedly asked how much change he had in the cash register.

The three men, ages 21, 20 and 27, told police there had been a "big misunderstanding," and the 21-year-old reportedly stated that because the restaurant was going to be closing in 40 minutes, he thought he could make a deal with the employee for pizza.

Police determined that no robbery attempt was made and that a "language barrier" probably caused the misunderstanding between the two parties.

The men were released by police and they completed their pizza order, according to the police report.