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Three Subway locations in Â鶹´«Ã½ are no longer part of the franchise, according to a statement from the company that specializes in sub sandwiches.

The statement comes in the aftermath of employees at the restaurant saying they were not paid for their work.

The owner has until July 17 to pay employees the wages they are owed, said Lt. Nick Edwards with Â鶹´«Ã½ Department of Public Safety. He said the owner gave that date as a deadline for the employees to be paid. 

The News Herald previously reported the Â鶹´«Ã½ Subway locations at 100 E. Fleming Drive, 107 Independence Blvd. and 1255-A Burkemont Ave., Space 22, are closed.

In a statement sent to News Herald news partner WSOC-TV, Subway said, “All Subway restaurants are independently owned and operated businesses. This former franchisee is no longer a part of our system and does not operate any Subway restaurants.�

Edwards said officers went to the owner’s home in Burke County on Tuesday but found it was up for sale. It was that same day the owner got in touch with Public Safety, he said.

Three Subway employees filed a report with Â鶹´«Ã½ Department of Public Safety on July 2, claiming obtaining property by false pretense at the Burkemont Avenue Subway location. The value amounts of the three totaled $2,224.38, according to the police report.

Police have interviewed a fourth employee who hasn’t been paid, Edwards said.

“We just want to see that the victims are made whole, and that's our number one priority,� Edwards said. “Whether that's through criminal prosecution or restitution, or if it's done on his own, if the victims are made whole, that's obviously our number one priority.�

One of the employees, Karen Harris, told WSOC-TV that several workers didn’t get paid in June. When she went to the bank to cash her paycheck, she was told there weren’t enough funds in the account.

Edwards said the account the employees’ paychecks were written from is an open and functioning account but there was not enough funds in it to cover the checks.

“While their exit from our system was unrelated to these allegations, we take them very seriously and do not condone such practices,â€� Subway said in its statement about the allegations against the Â鶹´«Ã½ Subway.

Edwards confirmed to The News Herald on Wednesday that no charges have been filed in the case. He said if the employees have not been paid by Thursday, July 17, officers will consult the district attorney's office. 

The three Â鶹´«Ã½ locations were operated by Parish Alpha LLC and CA Parish Subs LLC, both of which are owned by William Parish, according to filings with the state.

Attempts by The News Herald to reach Parish were unsuccessful.