Restaurant robbed

SECURITY at the Old Orleans Restaurant at the Wake Arms roundabout is to be reviewed after a 20 year old deputy manager and her boyfriend were tied up for an hour by armed raiders who stole £10,000 on Monday morning.

The member of staff had locked up at the restaurant with her 24 year old boyfriend when they were attacked by four men wearing balaclavas and brandishing baseball bats and knives shortly after 1am.

Their attackers, who are believed to be of Eastern European origin, pounced as the couple left through the back door into the car park.

They were dragged back inside where the deputy manager was forced to unlock the safe as the raiders searched the premises. The couple were then each tied to a chair.

The robbers emptied the safe and left their victims tied up as they escaped through the back door to the car park where police believe they had a vehicle waiting.

It was not until 2am that the couple managed to free themselves and raise the alarm.

A spokesman for Scottish and Newcastle, which owns Old Orleans, said the couple were shocked by their ordeal.

"We are doing everything we can to support them and have offered counselling. The police are investigating the robbery. Our security standards are very high and we have never had an incident of this type at the restaurant before, although we will be reviewing them in light of what has happened."

Police want anyone who may have seen a vehicle leave the restaurant between 1am and 2am to ring Loughton CID on 020 8502 3881. All calls will be dealt with in confidence.

12:10 Thursday 24th October 2002

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