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Restaurant employees detain robbery suspect until police arrive

Posted at 4:06 PM, Aug 01, 2014
and last updated 2014-08-01 18:06:36-04

SALT LAKE CITY – Employees followed a woman after she robbed a Salt Lake City restaurant Thursday night and then held her until police arrived to take her into custody.

Natalie Rhodes, 34, allegedly walked into a JB’s Restaurant, 102 W. South Temple, Thursday around 7:30 p.m. and handed a cashier a note indicating that she had a weapon and was demanding money.

The suspect fled after getting the cash, but employees at the restaurant followed her and held her until police arrived.

Det. Dennis McGowan, Salt Lake City Police Department, said those employees did not believe the woman was armed as she said she was.

McGowan said it was determined the woman was allegedly involved in a prior crime.

“They were looking at her, and realized that what she looked like matched the description of a female suspect in a previous robbery, this would be of a coffee shop on July 20th,” McGowan said.

Investigators said Rhodes admitted to taking part in both robberies. She was booked into jail and faces two counts of aggravated robbery.