Zazus wrapped up in robbery
Two masked men— one in a hooded sweatshirt and the other in a Scream mask— robbed Zazus Fresh Grille and assaulted one of its employees on Sunday, June 19. Albemarle County Police responded to an alert at 9:30pm, but when they arrived on the scene, the men had escaped with an undisclosed amount of cash. The assaulted employee sustained minor injuries, but did not require medical attention.
Zazus owner Alison Campbell came to the Ivy Road eatery immediately after the robbery, and was relieved to find her staff was safe.
“I don’t really care about the money,” she says. “The most important thing is that my guys are okay.”
Zazus, known for its healthy wraps, sandwiches, and salads, has been robbed once before, over a decade ago, but this is the first time an employee has been harmed. Campbell has instituted several new safety precautions to prevent such a crime from occurring again.
Zazus was closed for breakfast Monday morning, but has since resumed business as usual. Campbell, who has owned Zazus for seven years, says she is touched by the generous support she has received following the robbery.
“The Zazus community had been amazingly supportive, both emotionally and financially,” she says. “This has not diminished our spirit.”
The investigation is still ongoing, and detectives are following several leads, according to the Albemarle County Police Department’s official report. Anyone with information about the incident is encouraged to report it immediately by calling County police at 434-296-5807 or Crime Stoppers at 434-977-4000.