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Chickie's & Pete's pinched

Police in Upper Darby are looking for two masked gunmen who robbed a Chickie's and Pete's yesterday and locked employees in a freezer.

Police say two men stole more than $16,000 and the manager's wedding rings in an armed robbery at the Chickie's and Pete's restaurant in Drexel Hill. (From NDN video)
Police say two men stole more than $16,000 and the manager's wedding rings in an armed robbery at the Chickie's and Pete's restaurant in Drexel Hill. (From NDN video)Read more

A DELCO Chickie's and Pete's was pinched and some employees were nearly frozen yesterday as two gunmen stormed the kitchen looking for more than crab fries.

The masked gunmen, described by Upper Darby Police Superintendent Michael Chitwood as "urban terrorists," entered the popular sports bar and eatery on West Township Line Road about 9:45 a.m. yesterday. They found a manager there and forced her to open a safe and hand over her diamond engagement ring, making off with about $16,000 in cash.

"It was well-planned and well-orchestrated," Chitwood said. "We believe they knew the whole operation."

The men then took the manager and three other employees and locked them in a freezer, Chitwood said. A kitchen manager found them shortly after.

"Those people would have froze to death in that freezer," Chitwood said.

One of the gunmen, seen on surveillance footage, was wearing a Chickie's and Pete's hoodie. Chitwood believes the robbers had a car waiting for them outside, possibly a silver Toyota Prius.

Chickie's and Pete's owner Pete Ciarrocchi said he was just grateful no one was injured.

Philadelphia District Attorney Seth Williams, a regular customer, posted on Facebook yesterday that he'd eaten there shortly after the robbery. Williams was interviewed about the robbery on 6ABC.