Gunman robs Newport restaurant

NEWPORT — A gun-wielding suspect robbed Westside Pizza on Friday evening.

Pend Oreille County Sheriff’s Office officials allege Benjamin Thomas Watson, 24, entered the restaurant at about 8:15 p.m., displayed a handgun and demanded money.

Watson is described as a white male, 5 feet 7 inches, 170 pounds with blue eyes and either very short hair or a shaved head.

According to a sheriff’s office press release, Watson may be driving a grey 1887 Nissan Pathfinder with a Washington state license plate of 837UBL.

Westside Pizza employees told police the restaurant was empty when the suspect entered the restaurant. The suspect was wearing dark clothing with a hood and scarf over his face.

Deputies responded immediately to the area with the first deputy arriving within 30 seconds of the robbery call. The U.S. Border Patrol also assisted with a tracking dog, netting negative results. The suspect was last seen walking south  on Washington Avenue after receiving the money at gun point.

“We take these kinds of cases seriously,” Pend Oreille County Sheriff Alan Botzheim said. “I would like to commend the employees for keeping their cool and locking the door after the suspect left, preserving the crime scene. This case is a top priority for the sheriff’s office and we’ve been following up leads for days now.”

The last armed robbery in the Newport area was several years ago when gunmen robbed the local branch of the Bank of America. The suspects holed up in an apartment near Newport High School before being captured by Pend Oreille Sheriff’s deputies and troopers from Washington State Police.

Watson is considered to be armed and dangerous. Anyone with information on this case is asked to contact the Pend Oreille County Sheriff’s Office dispatch at (509) 447-1980.