Burger King worker gets 3 years for Va. Beach robbery

VIRGINIA BEACH

A former Burger King employee who conspired with a co-worker to rob the North Mall Drive restaurant by having one of them pretend to be a victim was sentenced Tuesday to three years behind bars, the commonwealth's attorney's office said.

Timothy Joseph Batten, 23, pleaded guilty in August to robbery, abduction, wearing a mask in public and conspiracy. According to a stipulation of facts, Batten and a co-worker, David Ross Arnold, 50, spent two weeks plotting the robbery through phone calls, text messages and meetings.

Arnold, who also pleaded guilty in August to robbery, conspiracy and abduction, agreed to go outside to empty grease from a fryer on Feb. 12, giving Batten the opportunity to force him back inside the Burger King at knifepoint, the stipulation said. Batten donned a ski mask and dark clothes for the crime and handed a manager index cards with instructions to give him money from the safe and to tie up Arnold, according to the stipulation.

The manager, who recognized Batten, gave him nearly $2,500 in cash along with the night's receipts. Batten then tied up the manager and punched Arnold in the face, the court document said.

Batten put the money and the receipts in Arnold's car, the stipulation stated. Police searched both men's vehicles, finding some of the money and receipts in Arnold's and the index cards, ski mask and clothing used in the robbery in Batten's, according to the document.

Batten was sentenced to 25 years with 22 years suspended, said Macie Pridgen, spokeswoman for Commonwealth's Attorney Harvey Bryant.

Arnold will be sentenced on Nov. 9, online court records show.