The Half-Way Tree police are probing the circumstances surrounding a predawn robbery at the TGI Friday's restaurant on Hope Road, St Andrew, last Saturday.

According to reports, gunmen entered the restaurant early Saturday morning and made off with more than $300,000, and a cellphone.

Officer in charge of crime for the St Andrew Central division, Deputy Superintendent McArthur Sutherland, confirmed the robbery. DSP Sutherland said three armed men went to the premises where they held up a security guard who was outside before ordering him to open the rear door of the restaurant.

Security guard robbed

The crime chief said that once inside, the thugs proceeded to rob staff members, including the manager who was relieved of $305,000. A security guard was also robbed of $5,000 and a cellphone.

The robbers then made off in an awaiting motor car.

Due to the nature of the incident, police sources are theorising that the robbery was set up by someone who might have had knowledge of that amount of money being at the restaurant during such hours.

When THE STAR contacted the restaurant last night, one employee who requested anonymity said he was not around when the incident occurred, but admitted hearing of it. "Im not aware of the exact details because I was not here, but I've heard about it," the employee said.

The employee afterwards directed the call to a manager who instructed that the general manger be contacted as he was not allowed to divert such information.