Two men are in custody and police are looking for a third suspect after a pair of robberies targeting pizza delivery drivers. The incidents took place two nights in a row and involved two different pizza restaurants.
The first incident happened on Oct. 30. A male suspect, along with two others, placed an order at a McPhillips Street Pizza Hut for a pizza to be delivered to the 200 block of Burrows Avenue, said police.
When the delivery person arrived around 10:30 p.m. he was confronted by the suspects with a knife and robbed of food and cash, said police. The victim was not injured.
On Oct. 31, the suspects called a neaby Domino’s Pizza delivery company and again robbed the delivery person, this time with a screwdriver, said police.
“Basically, the thief called us, made an order, asked for change for a $100 bill, which isn't uncommon. It was a $20 order,” said a Domino’s employee who asked not to be identified because he isn’t authorized to speak for the company.
The company has a policy that drivers are only supposed to carry $15 in cash, but because of the special request, the driver had an extra $80 on him.
"(The driver) got to the address, the thief asked him for the money, asked him for the food," said the Domino’s employee.
The driver handed over the money and the food and then called police. They tracked the suspects to a nearby residence.
On Nov. 1, police went to the 200 block of Burrows Avenue and arrested two men.
Parmjit Singh, 25, and Anthony Barkman, 19, face two counts each of robbery with a weapon and possession of a weapon. They are being held at the Winnipeg Remand Centre.
The Domino’s employee CTV spoke to said he was robbed a year ago. "Aguy came up to me with a knife to my throat," he said.
Drivers are fearful every time they go out on a delivery, he said. “"We get scared, ‘Oh maybe this is one of them.’ But for the most part, it doesn't happen very often."
The Winnipeg Police Service says, if confronted, drivers should consider their personal safety above all else.
"There is no amount of pizza, there is no amount of money in this world that is more important than the safety of themselves,” said Const. Jason Michalyshen.
Both of the drivers robbed this week are now back on the job.