Evanston Burger King held up at gunpoint

A man with a gun robbed a Burger King in north suburban Evanston of about $1,000 just after the restaurant opened Wednesday morning, police said.

About 10 minutes after the Burger King in the 1800 block of Dempster Street opened for business at 6 a.m. Wednesday a man with a handgun walked in and approached two employees, a release from Evanston police said. He demanded money from the safe, and approximately $1,000 in cash -- including paper currency and coins -- were turned over to him before he fled via the rear service door.

The robber was described as a black male, between 5-feet, 3-inches tall and 5-feet, 5-inches tall, with a medium complexion and a medium build. He was wearing a black winter coat with fur around the hood. His approximate age was not immediately known, Evanston Police Cmdr. Jay Parrott said.

One of the Burger King employees called police after the robbery and Evanston detectives are reviewing video surveillance cameras from the restaurant. No one in the Burger King at the time of the robbery was injured, Parrott said.

Anyone who might have information regarding the robbery can contact Evanston police, at (847) 866-5000 or by using the department's anonymous Text-A-Tip hotline by texting the keyword EPDTIP to 274637 (CRIMES) with text information.