Log in to WRAL.com with one click using your favorite social network:
OR
Log in using your WRAL.com account:



Wrong email/password combination.

Forgot password?

Register with WRAL.com using your favorite social network:
OR
Register for a WRAL.com account using our web form.

1:06 a.m. • 5-26-13

Weather Forecast for Raleigh

  • Today: Partly Cloudy.
    • Hi: 75° F
  • Mon: Partly Cloudy.
    • Hi: 80° F
  • Tue: Thunderstorm.
    • Hi: 85° F

Other Locations

> 7 Day Forecast

Doppler Image

Published: 2012-08-20 15:40:00
Updated: 2012-08-20 19:20:00

Fayetteville police investigating string of delivery driver robberies


Delivery
Delivery
print friendly

Fayetteville police are investigating whether a series of robberies targeting delivery drivers in recent months might be linked.

A weapon – either a knife or gun – was reportedly involved in each of the robberies, a Fayetteville police spokesman said.

The first robbery, involving a Domino's driver, happened June 28 at 2:11 a.m. in the 5300 block of Ramsey Street.

The others happened this month – two involving Papa John's drivers on Aug. 8 at 9:48 p.m. in the 5400 block of Wichita Drive and at 10:52 p.m. in the 2900 block of Raeford Road.

The next day, a driver for a Chinese restaurant was robbed at 9:50 p.m. in the 700 block of Perley Street.

The driver told WRAL News on Monday that he went to what appeared to be a vacant house and that a man in the driveway approached him and put a knife to his throat before taking $30 in cash, his cellphone and the food.

The final robbery, which involved a Domino's driver, happened Aug. 10 at 9:39 p.m. in the 700 block of Commerce Street.

Anyone with information that could assist police is asked to contact the Fayetteville Police Department at 910-433-1856 or Crime Stoppers at 910-483- 8477.

Police, meanwhile, are offering these tips for restaurant employees in light of the recent robberies:

- Record a name and telephone number of the customer and full delivery information (e.g., address, location, description of property).

- Confirm the order to eliminate suspicious or false orders. On suspicious calls, have the caller repeat the address on a confirmation call. If it is not exact, do not deliver.

- Make sure delivery drivers don't carry excessive cash and publicize it. Do not accept bills larger than $20, which eliminates drivers carrying excess money. Encourage drivers to leave personal funds at home.

- Limit the number of deliveries that drivers make on one trip. Excessive deliveries on one trip might mean that a driver has cash that can make him or her a target.

- Make sure each driver has a cellphone to call police in case of an emergency.

- Plan routes before leaving the store, and make sure drivers know where they’re going.

- Avoid known trouble areas. Do not deliver to intersections or the front or rear of buildings. Have an exact address or apartment number.

- Upon arrival, if the area does not look "right," leave immediately. Use common sense and obey instincts.


7 Comments


WRAL.com welcomes your comments on this story. All comments are moderated prior to publication based on our posting guidelines. Please review them prior to posting and if your message is not approved.

View Comments VIEW ALL 7 COMMENTS

This story is closed for comments. Comments on WRAL.com news stories are accepted and moderated between the hours of 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Latest Comments
I deliver for Papa Johns in another town, and some of these comments are ignorant. First off, most robberies catch drivers by surprise. Secondly, I always carry my pistol in my car. But if I am at a delivery what am I supposed to do if caught by surprise? Ask the robber, "Can you hold on a second while I go get my pistol?" The car toppers are affectionately known to drivers as "rob me" signs. Papa Johns mandates that we place these toppers on our cars, essentially shouting out to all that see us that we are available to be robbed without much risk. With all that said, I am extremely cautious on deliveries. I don't spend more than the minimum time out of the car. If someone is not home I leave the premises within 1 minute. It's still probably not enough, and it's only a matter of time before someone tries to rob me. But depending on the circumstances, I will attempt to make an example out of whomever dares to try and rob me.

Avoid known trouble areas? So they can be sued for discriminating? May sound laughable but you can bet that someone would try.

Delivery drivers need to arm themselves.

It may take a few incidents, but after a couple of perps get blown away by a pizza delivery person, this too will subside. As it stands, they are too easy of a target for criminals to not pay attention to. They have money on them, food, and are typically by themselves and unarmed.

"It is one thing to find a way that the event could have possibly been avoided. It is quite another to literally blame the employee, often without even asking if they are okay. I've seen it happen more than once. It's a tough, demeaning way to make a living"

I agree but in some of these cases they are receiving fictious orders for delivery to a house and robbed. Inwhich I think they would have been robbed anyway. What's pathetic is these crimes will escalate and someone will either be seriously injured or killed.

View Comments VIEW ALL 7 COMMENTS