Wednesday, Mar. 17, 2010

Three teens arrested in attack on pizza delivery driver

Police arrested three young men and are searching for two other suspects in connection with the armed robbery of a pizza delivery man at a Raleigh apartment complex March 3.

The 20-year-old driver was delivering a pizza to an apartment at 5612 Beach Water Drive about 8:15 p.m. when the robbery occurred, police said. After knocking on the door, the driver was called into the apartment and into the kitchen area by those inside. There, several suspects punched him in the face and kicked him, police said.

The robbers demanded the driver's money, which he turned over, police said. They also stole two pizzas and a phone. The five suspects fled through a rear sliding glass door.

Police later arrested three suspects, charging each of them with strong-arm robbery and conspiracy to commit robbery. Authorities arrested Shequan Johnson, 16, of Raleigh; Lyndon Ore, 16, of Raleigh; and Joshua Bishop, 17, who lived in the same apartment complex where the robbery occurred.

All three were being held in Wake County jail; Johnson in lieu of $25,000 bail; Ore in lieu of $32,000 bail; and Bishop in lieu of $35,000 bail.

Investigators are searching for two additional suspects, police said. Detailed descriptions of the two men were not provided.

The driver was not seriously injured, according to police. Food delivery workers have been common robbery targets, said Laura Hourigan, a Raleigh police spokeswoman. The driver has had his fill of the potential pitfalls.

"He quit his job," Hourigan said.

Police urge anyone with information about the crime to call detectives at 919-996-3555 or call Crime Stoppers, which offers cash for anonymous tips, at 919-834-4357.