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Man arrested after armed robbery of Helena restaurant

Posted at 10:39 AM, Dec 03, 2018
and last updated 2018-12-03 12:39:36-05
Rudy Lopez
Rudy Lopez is accused of robbing a Helena Taco John’s on 12.1.18. (courtesy photo)

HELENA – The Helena Police Department has arrested a suspect after an armed robbery at a restaurant Saturday night.

Assistant Chief Steve Hagen said the robbery happened at the Taco John’s on North Montana Avenue.

Just after 10:45 p.m., the Helena-Lewis and Clark County 911 Center received a call that someone had robbed the restaurant at gunpoint.

Authorities say the suspect came in, demanded money and forced the employees into a walk-in cooler.

A few minutes after the call, an HPD officer found someone matching the suspect’s description a block away from the restaurant and took him into custody. Hagen said the money and gun were recovered.

Authorities identified the suspect as 43-year-old Rudy Lopez of Helena.

He was charged with robbery, two counts of aggravated kidnapping, two counts of assault with a weapon and probation violation.

-Jonathon Ambarian reporting for MTN News