(NECN: Scot Yount, Boston, MA) - "At that time he was just like 'N-Star, gotta check it out,' and I was like 'ok,'" said Jonathan Rao who is lucky to have escaped serious injury.
Rao, who was working at this Snappy Sushi restaurant on posh Newbury street, let the man in.
But when they got downstairs, the man allegedly pulled a knife and demanded money. He wasn't a utility worker at all. He tried to tie Rao up.
"Put my hands behind my back, tried to zip tie it, and when he tried to zip tie it he put his knife down, so at that point I took it out and tried to push him," said Rao who tried to get away.
The man slashed at him and cut his thumb pretty badly.
"Uh just 16 stitches. They said it didn't get like any tendons or anything so it is fine. Pretty lucky! Yes pretty lucky, very lucky" said Rao
Chefs and servers piled on and held the man down until police arrived.
Forty-three-year-old Barry Shea is under arrest and was charged in Boston municipal court.
He has been ordered held on $2,500 bail and, if he makes that bail, must stay away from the restaurant. That suits the other staff just fine.
"This is Newbury Street, this is pretty safe neighborhood, and there is so many construction things going on, so we need to be much more careful we have to check the ID and everything, " said another manager Shirley Chen.
