KELSO, Wash. -- A man terrified workers at a local fast food restaurant when he walked in with a knife demanding money but left before getting any cash.

Police said the man, who was hiding a knife under a white towel, told an employee at the Kelso Burgerville to put money in a plastic bag that he had brought with him at 9:30 p.m. Sunday.

The employee told him no, and then things took a strange turn.

The would-be robber told the worker he was going to get a gun, walked out of the restaurant and didn't come back, police said.

Witnesses said they saw him running down the street.

Police used a dog to search for the man but never found him.

People familiar with the area that the Burgerville is in weren't surprised at the attempted robbery.

They said that part of Kelso sees more than its fair share of crime.

"I think it's pretty crazy. (It) kind of blew me away. (It) seems like desperate drug users to me," customer Mike Williams said.

Witnesses said the man was 6 feet tall, 200 pounds, wearing black or dark gray clothing.

He also had on a black-and-white bandana, a hooded sweatshirt and low hanging blue jeans.

Anyone who saw something that might help this investigation should call Kelso police.

Man Armed With Knife Frightens Burgerville Workers