Restaurants ambushed by armed thieves

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Two Dilworth area restaurants were ambushed by armed thieves Monday night.

The China Saute restaurant and Queen City Pizza Depot on Park Road were both hit just before 10 p.m. Police found the suspects' getaway van, but they're nowhere to be found.

Police say three men armed and dangerous drove up then split up and burst into the two restaurants at the same time. At Queen City Pizza, the co-owner was shot in the leg while the other two suspects robbed the other restaurant. They all got into a van and drove off. Police say all in all pretty bold.

"One person went into the Queen City Pizza and the others went into the Chinese restaurant and that's pretty brazen to rob restaurants at the exact same time," said officer Robert Fey, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department.

Here is owner Joel Doliveck's 911 call:

911 Operator: "OK, listen to me. You need to calm down. What's going on?"

Caller: "I've been shot!"

911 Operator: "You've been shot?"

Caller: "Yes."

Doliveck is expected to be OK.

"He thought it was a joke, someone playing a prank on him," said Justin Lan, Doliveck's partner and co-owner. "The guy puts a gun right in his face, he just sort of reacted and the guy ended up shooting him in the leg."

Doliveck is resting comfortably at home and might return to work Wednesday.

Queen City just opened, but the owners have no regrets about moving there.

"We did just open and we know it's a good area. We'll certainly be on guard a little bit more," Lan said.

Queen City has already installed an alarm and cameras. The owners want to be prepared and hope there is no "next time."

(The Associated Press and NewsChannel 36 reporter Glenn Counts contributed to this story.)