Worcester pizza shop owners describe recent robberies, express concern for drivers

WORCESTER ― The owners of the three pizzerias whose delivery drivers were held up at gunpoint this month have stressed that workers use common sense, be aware of their surroundings, drive away if things don’t seem right and that their lives are worth more than a few pizzas and some cash.

Al Mansoor, owner of Christo's Pizza, confirmed that his driver was held up around 9:50 p.m. Sunday on Esther Street.

“My driver’s doing well,” Mansoor said, adding that the man is in his mid-30s. “He’s a little shaken up but he’s OK.”

Mansoor said his driver said the two men who robbed him were wearing hoodies.

“A couple of guys ordered a couple pizzas and some wings in the Vernon Street area," Mansoor said. "So he went there. They flagged him down and he moved up to the house. I guess it was a little dark. They were ahead of the house, a couple doors down. They seemed a little conspicuous but he didn’t think too much of it. He pulled over and said, ‘Did you guys order food?’ They’re like, ‘Yeah, we did.’ So he comes out and...and a guy came next to him. He had a gun and told him, ‘Give us your money, your phone, all your cash.’”

Mansoor said his driver, who is back at work, had his personal wallet safe in the car.

“They stole the food, $50 in cash and his phone,” Mansoor said.

Mansoor said the caller gave the pizza place what seemed to be a legitimate phone number.

“Hopefully, they will track them down and find these guys,” Mansoor said.

Mansoor said he has advised his drivers to be a little more cautious and aware of their surroundings, especially in the Vernon Hill area of the city, where all three of the recent robberies have occurred.

“Anything seems out of place or it’s dark, call them,” Mansoor said he has been advising his drivers. “Always give them what they want and never try to fight, never try to be a hero. It’s not worth it.”

The other pizzerias whose drivers have been held up at gunpoint in recent days are Kelley Square Pizza and Papa Flame Pizzeria.

George Mitre, owner of Kelley Square Pizza since 2012, confirmed that one of his delivery drivers was held up just before midnight Thursday night on Doane Street.

Mitre said his driver was approached by two men. One of them pulled out a gun and demanded the driver's keys. The driver gave them the keys and the suspects made off with his vehicle including his iPhone and a small amount of cash.

“He wasn’t harmed. He’s OK,” Mitre said of his driver. “I wasn’t there that night. To my understanding, they called up, placed the order. It was his last delivery order of the evening…He went to the delivery. When he got out, they approached him at gunpoint and said, ‘Give us the food. Give us the money.’ Took his car.”

Mitre said the car was recovered on Upsala Street shortly after the robbery.

“We were able to retrieve the money for the orders for the business," he said. "His personal belongings, unfortunately, cellphones, his own money, anything else he had, that wasn’t retrieved.”

Mitre said his driver, whom he described as being close to retirement age, separated the business money from his own and placed it in the trunk, which the two assailants never checked.

“He’s handed it very professionally,” Mitre said of the driver. “I would say he was shaken up. But as far as him having any fear doing the job, no.

“I always tell my drivers if you feel uncomfortable and don’t think it’s a good situation, just come back,” Mitre said. “Give up the food, whatever.”

Mitre said there were two other suspicious situations in the same neighborhood a few weeks ago, but the drivers drove away without incident.

“We are pretty diligent. We have a very good grasp of the area,” Mitre said. “We have a strong relationship with the police. People know not to (expletive) with us.”

The owner of Papa Flame Pizza, who says he goes only as “Moe,” confirmed that his driver was held up at gunpoint at 1:30 a.m. Aug. 12 on Lund Street.  The Papa Flame Pizza driver arrived at the designated address and was approached by two men. As the driver was trying to give them change, one of the suspects pulled out a gun and demanded the food and an undetermined amount of cash but, unlike the two other robberies, didn’t take his phone.

“They took $40, plus the food,” Moe said of his driver. “He’s not hurt. He wasn’t hit or anything. He was shaken but he’s OK.”

Moe said his driver, who is in his 30s, is back to work. He said the driver told him that one of the assailants had a mask on.

“Two guys came up to him. He gave them the food and he asked for the money,” Moe said. “They said they want the change first…and then they pulled out the gun.”

Moe said he is concerned for his drivers and has slightly altered their way of doing their pizza delivery business.

“We’re not taking deliveries to the Vernon Hill area,” he said. “Until they get caught or something, and then we will go from there.”

One thing that he found odd was that the address and the phone number called in with the order seemed to check out.

“The address exists and they answered the phone,” Moe said. “He called me back because I called him. I called the number. He called me back and said, ‘Yeah, I had a miscall from you guys.’ I said, ‘Yeah, you robbed my driver.’ He thought it was funny. He said, ‘I didn’t rob him. He gave it to me.’”

He is telling his workers to use common sense because a food delivery, some cash and maybe a phone are not worth endangering your health or your life.

While the police acknowledge that the circumstances and suspects sound similar in all three incidents, they say the cases are still under investigation. No arrests have been made.

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Worcester pizza shop owners describe recent robberies, express concern for drivers