Police in Newark, New Jersey are searching for a man who allegedly tried to rob an Ecuadorian restaurant by using Google Translate to convey his demands.
On February 20, just before 8 a.m., a man bought a cup of coffee from Mi Rinconcito Ecuatoriano , after which he — using Google Translate — announced that he was robbing the store, police said.
According to a police report, the man allegedly threatened to shoot the cashier if she did not open the register.
The robber reportedly used the app to translate his words from English to Spanish, but it was unnecessary as the cashier reportedly spoke English, according to News12.
The cashier complied and opened her drawer. The robber allegedly tried to grab the drawer but couldn’t figure out how to remove it from the register. He then threw his coffee at the cashier in frustration before fleeing the restaurant, police said.
“A man came to buy a coffee, and he bought a coffee and then he wanted to keep the money. And when [the cashier] told him to take it, he didn’t take it and got angry, he threw the coffee at her and then he threw a vase that was on the table at her,” the restaurant’s owner, Maria, told News 12.
The owner said that she and her employees are on edge after the attempted robbery.
“We are left with fear, because there are times we cannot be here. We think it can happen again,” she told the broadcaster.
The restaurant is in Newark’s Ironbound district, which has a significant Latino population, according to NBC News 4.
Police are still searching for the suspect, who has been described as a Black man wearing all black clothing, a black ball cap, and a black face mask.
The Independent has requested comment from the Newark Police Department.
Anyone with information about the suspect is asked to call the 24-hour Crime Stoppers tip line at 1-877-NWK-TIPS.
The restaurant robbery isn’t the first time someone has tried to use Google Translate while committing a crime.
Chicago prosecutors charged Tyshon Smith and Dylan Roszak, both 18, with robbery in connection with a September 26 hold-up on one of the city’s train, according to CWB Chicago. During the robbery, the men allegedly used Google Translate to tell a Spanish-speaking man to give them all of his money.
The victim complied, giving them $150 in cash and his Mexican identification card.
Source: independent.co.uk