Folsom theater employees evacuated as robber held victim at gunpoint inside, police say

A moviegoer held Sunday at gunpoint by an alleged robber in Folsom’s Palladio cinema prompted police to evacuate theater employees and patrons so they could search inside for the suspect who had ultimately fled the scene, police said.

The victim’s friend phoned police about 9:15 p.m. to report the incident. Folsom police arrived at the theater on Palladio Parkway with rifles to search the premises, police said online.

Theater employees were ordered to leave the building while six people inside the theater walked out to the lobby with their hands raised, police said.

Officers later learned the suspect had left in the victim’s car. The alleged robber had threatened the victim inside the theater, saying he had people watching her, police said.

The stolen car was found in Sacramento.

Folsom police are searching for the robber, who police described as a man around 18 to 20 years old with brown hair. He was wearing a black jacket at the time of the incident.