Ex-employee to appear in court for Commons robbery

Raymond Haywood, who was arrested and charged for alleged armed robbery of Starbucks in 1920 Commons in November, is scheduled to appear in court Thursday.

The robbery was “an inside job,” according to Vice President for Public Safety Maureen Rush. Haywood worked at Starbucks, but was fired for unrelated reasons before Nov. 15, when the robbery occurred. Haywood went into hiding after the incident and was taken into custody by the Department of Public Safety on Nov. 23, Rush said.

He is also charged with conspiracy and trespassing.
Penn Business Services declined to disclose the reason for terminating Haywood’s employment.

The incident has raised questions about hiring practices at Penn, as Haywood had pled guilty to simple assault and terroristic threats in May 2005.

Penn complies with Pennsylvania state law, which stipulates that employers may only consider a job applicant’s felony or misdemeanor convictions if they relate to the applicant’s suitability for employment, Bon Appetit Director of Communications Bonnie Powell wrote in an email.

Bon Appetit declined to comment on Haywood’s hiring, despite his violent criminal record.

A criminal record does not necessarily prevent someone from being employed at Penn, according to Executive Director of Business Services Douglas Berger, who oversees Penn Dining Services.

Haywood was hired directly though Bon Appetit, the independent catering company that partnered with Penn in July 2009.

The company has conducted background checks on all of its hires since the start of its contract with Penn, Berger said. Background checks are performed after the interview process, Powell wrote.

This article has been updated from a prior version to reflect that Haywood worked as an employee, not a manager.

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