Manager grabs serial armed robbery suspect

A quick-thinking fast-food restaurant manager grabbed a prolific armed robbery suspect during a botched holdup and held him until police arrived, the Broward Sheriff’s Office said.

Pedro Alvarado,

52, who also uses the alias Pedro Alfaro, is accused of eight armed robberies in Lauderdale Lakes, Oakland Park and Lauderhill since February, detectives said.

Surveillance videos showed his low-key approach to the robberies, sometimes committed within armslength of customers at the cash register.

Investigators suspect Alvarado robbed the same Payless Shoe Source in Lauderdale Lakes three times and a McDonald’s in Oakland Park twice, among the holdups that included a Fallas discount store in Lauderdale Lakes.

His luck began to run out when he tried to rob a Kentucky Fried Chicken at 3298 N. State Road 7 in Lauderdale Lakes about 1 p.m. Saturday. Detectives said he ordered drink and when the clerk

aopened the cash drawer, Alvarado insinuated he had a gun and demanded the money. The cashier refused and Alvarado ran out of the restaurant.

About 20 minutes later, Alvarado tried to rob a McDonald’s at 5510 W. Oakland Park Blvd. but the store manager got into a scuffle with Alvarado and held him until Lauderhill police arrived to make the arrest, investigators said.

Alvarado has served almost 24 years in prison in Florida and Puerto Rico, Broward Sheriff’s officials said.

Investigators are asking anyone with additional information on these or other robberies to contact Detective Armando Enrique at 954-321-4233 or 954-321-4270.

Anonymous tips can be given to Broward Crime Stoppers at 954-493-8477 or online at browardcrimestoppers.org. Tips that lead to an arrest are eligible for a reward of up to $3,000.