Police: Pizza Hut employee faked robbery ‘to look favorable with corporate’

A Monmouth County Pizza Hut employee allegedly made up a story about a robbery at the store because he “wanted to look favorable with corporate,” according to police.

Howell Township police say that they responded to the Pizza Hut around 10:30 a.m. Friday after employee Joseph Baude called 911 to report that a man who was brandishing a handgun confronted him while demanding cash. Baude claimed that he fought off the suspect who then left the restaurant empty-handed.

Police say that they were suspicious of Baude’s story, but had to thoroughly investigate it. Police say that 26 Howell police officers responded to the scene and spent nearly two hours searching for the alleged suspect and taking “precautionary measures." Police say that this included issuing a shelter-in-place at the Goddard School and Southard School.

But police say that surveillance footage showed that no one left through the door that Baude claimed the gunman exited. Police say that after questioning Baude further, he admitted that he made the whole thing up so that he could get a raise.

Police say that he was remorseful and realized the extent of what he had done.

Baude was charged with creating a false alarm and filing a false report to police. He was released pending a court date.