Bad timing

What's the worst time to attempt to rob a restaurant? This guy found out the answer to that question the hard way:

The four police officers at the Golden House Restaurant never got to open their fortune cookies.

And it certainly wasn't good fortune that Anthony Whitcomb allegedly tried to rob the Chinese restaurant while the four officers were having dinner there Wednesday night.

Police said Whitcomb, 33, an ex-con from Methuen, walked into the South Broadway establishment about 8:30 p.m. and asked the cashier to change a quarter.

When the cashier opened the register, Whitcomb lunged over the counter and grabbed cash from the register, spilling the coin tray onto the floor, police said.

The restaurant owner came out of the kitchen, and when he saw what was going on, yelled, "Robbery. Police," attracting the attention of Sgt. Robert Michaud, and officers Ivan Resto, Marco Ayala and Jaime Adames, all of whom were in street clothes.

Whitcomb ran out the door of the restaurant at 129 S. Broadway, and the officers followed with their guns drawn.

Needless to say, they caught up to the guy and arrested his dumb, unlucky ass.