Man robs Chick-Fil-A, punches woman at GameStop

OCOEE Law-enforcement officers arrested a man who allegedly robbed a Chick-fil-A and punched a woman at a GameStop around 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, May 30.

The 27-year-old male suspect, Michael Joseph Mermel Klein, reportedly took a four-count Chick-n-Minis from the restaurant’s kitchen, according to a police report. 

During the robbery, Klein reportedly pushed an employee out of his path and punched a second employee on the head before he headed to the patio area of the restaurant and ate the stolen chicken.

Klein then walked toward a nearby GameStop located in the same plaza and wreaked havoc, leaving a woman bruised and bloody. GameStop employees declined to comment on the incident, but Lana Tomg, the owner of a nail salon next door to the video game store, said the man also terrorized her customers and employees.

Klein allegedly caused severe physical harm to a woman at GameStop. The woman then ran out of the GameStop and into Lana Nails and Hair Salon to ask for help.

“She ran over here to ask for help, and as soon as I saw her, I saw her face was full of blood all over,” Tomg said. “The man followed her, and he was chasing her … she asked for help but he came in right after her and he told us everything would be fine and told everybody to calm down and don’t move.”

At first, Tomg initially thought Klein and the woman were a couple who were having a fight, but she then realized something was very wrong when he came after one of her employees. Klein allegedly grabbed one of the salon employees and squeezed her tightly. After a few moments, Tomg jumped over the counter where the register was located and ran out of the door to get help from a nearby mattress store.

“That moment when she came in with blood everywhere, I said, ‘Oh my God’ and she said, ‘I need somebody to help me; call 911,’” Tong said. “And I tried to get the phone, but he came in right after her and said, “You guys will be fine. Calm down. Don’t move.’ Right after that moment, I realized it might be a robbery.”

Two Ocoee police officers arrived on the scene, and Klein exited the nail salon with the woman in a headlock. A struggle ensued as Klein resisted arrest. Upon arrival at the Orange County Jail, Klein continued resisting officers and was subdued with a Taser and pepper spray. He has since been charged with battery, petit theft and robbery.

Contact Gabby Baquero at [email protected].