Massachusetts

Pizzeria Employee Attacks Boss With Mallet Over Loan, Police Say

The dispute occurred after his boss accused him of stealing money from the restaurant's safe

An employee of a pizzeria in Cohasset attacked his boss with a mallet this week over a loan he wanted, according to police.

The dispute began when the employee, Lawrence Spear, 47, of Weymouth, phoned his boss, the owner of Victoria’s Pizza, asking for a $3,000 loan, according to a Cohasset police representative. The owner didn’t agree to give him the money, but said he would think about it.

When the owner, whom police didn't name, came into work on Monday he saw Spear, who wasn’t scheduled to work, police said. The owner went into the back office and opened the restaurant safe, finding it empty.

The owner confronted Spear about the empty safe, accusing him of stealing the money. When he showed Spear the empty safe, Spear allegedly hit him over the head multiple times with a rubber mallet, police say.

Surveillance video shows Spear on top of the pizza shop owner, hitting him repeatedly, according to police. Three employees who heard the screaming rushed in to the save the owner.

Spear was arraigned on Tuesday at Quincy District Court on charges of assault with intent to murder and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. He will attend a dangerousness hearing Friday.

Spear turned himself in to police Monday night, according to the department. Officers told Spear he'd been fired and banned from visiting Victoria’s Pizza.

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