A 36-year-old East Pasadena restaurant owner investigating a shattered window at his business early Wednesday encountered a female robber and the pair fought as he tried to detain her.
Pasadena police said the businessman was starting his work shift at 6:59 in a mall on the corner of Sierra Madre Boulevard and North Michillinda Avenue when he discovered the broken window.
When he entered the restaurant, police said, the victim allegedly found a woman in the process of stealing alcohol and a chef’s coat.
“The victim tried to detain the suspect and a fight ensued,” Pasadena police Lt. Mark Goodman said. “Responding officers took the suspect into custody.”
Heather Thornton, 29, of Los Angeles, was arrested and booked for strong arm robbery and commercial burglary, Goodman said.
No major injuries from the fight were reported.
Thornton is being held in Lynwood at the Century Regional Detention Facility in lieu of $50,000 bail, booking records show.