THIS Don't Happen In Texas Either

'Pulp Fiction' diner raid

GUNMEN robbed diners at an exclusive Italian restaurant in a Pulp Fiction-style raid — the first crime of its kind in Britain.

One thug held a pistol to a waiter’s head while an accomplice took customers’ jewellery, wallets and mobile phones.

Women sobbed as they were forced to take off wedding rings and put them on the table.

The loot was collected in a bag and the robbers fled.

A senior Flying Squad cop hunting the pair described the robbery as “audacious and outrageous”.

He added: “It is the first time we have ever heard of diners in an expensive restaurant being robbed while they were eating.”

In Quentin Tarantino’s violent 1994 movie Pulp Fiction, a couple played by Tim Roth and Amanda Plummer hold up a US diner.

Well, obviously it's the fault of American cinema for putting the idea in the heads of these brazen robbers.

Police believe the robbers targeted the Ros Marino in St Johns Wood, North West London, because they knew well-heeled customers were likely to be there.

And the fact that they were assured that no one would be armed or likely to resist didn't hurt.

The area is one of the most expensive in London and home to VIPs and showbiz stars. Nearby streets have private security patrols.

Private unarmed security patrols.

Two bandits, one black and carrying a handgun, the other white and armed with a knife, walked in through the front door of the restaurant at 10.10pm on Sunday.

But, but handguns are banned in England! Didn't he get the memo?

They closed the door behind them and the black suspect grabbed a waiter.

He threatened to kill him unless the 15 customers and 15 staff handed over their personal belongings.

Around ten people were robbed. No one was injured but the staff and customers were shaken.

What, 20 people know enough to not carry valuables anymore?

The restaurant is owned by Giuliano Lotto, whose company also owns the Zafferano in Knightsbridge. A company spokesman said: “We are just glad nobody was hurt."

Well, as long as everybody (especially the robbers) went home safe. Of course, they could have killed or injured multiple people, and no one could have done anything about it. They were dependent on the good behavior of the robbers.

No thanks.

As one AR15.com member commented:

Why they should have put up a bloody sign informing those miscreants that firearms were not allowed.
That would have settled their hash forthwith and they would have taken their skullduggery elsewhere! Pip Pip!

Yeah! That'd work!

UPDATE: Here's another story on the robbery, again with the "Pulp Fiction" reference, by different reporters. I'll just excerpt the parts that are different or noteworthy:

'Pulp Fiction' raid on diners

--

In a raid reminiscent of a scene from the film Pulp Fiction, the thieves held a gun to a customer's head as they forced diners to hand over money, mobile phones and other belongings.

The other story said they held a gun to the head of a waiter. I'd imagine they threatened both and/or more.

(A senior police officer) said: "It is the first time we have heard of diners in an expensive restaurant being robbed while they were eating."

Translation: "The bloody cheek of these buggers, robbing their betters! They ought to stay with sticking up the lumpenproles!"

(An unidentified restaurant employee) said staff and customers had been "traumatised" by the attack, adding that waiters who had been working that night had been given today off to rest.

Speaking as staff started clearing away the damage, he said: "I think we will be considering having bouncers on the door after this."

Who will do exactly what when someone sticks a gun in their faces? Serve as the example to the crowd?

The raid was similar to the opening and closing scenes in Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction, in which an armed couple hold up a diner before the hitmen, played by John Travolta and Samuel L Jackson, pull out their own guns and take control of the situation.

But, of course, that's only because it was cinema, and they were bad guys anyway.