Sandwiches, cash snatched from delivery boy

In what appears to be a new modus operandi for robbers in the city, two youths allegedly snatched money, and sandwiches, from the delivery boy of a popular eatery in south Delhi.

Police had recovered from the crime spot empty packets in which the sandwiches were delivered, leading them to believe that the culprits intended to have the snacks for free and only chanced upon the cash with the delivery boy. But the arrest of the two culprits on Wednesday revealed it was the other way round.

“The snatchers knew that the delivery boys generally carry some cash with them, so they planned this. But the mobile phone number from which they had called the employee helped us nab them,” a police officer told Deccan Herald.

Police said the delivery boy was employed at a Subway outlet in Mehrauli. The outlet received a delivery order at around 8.15 pm on Tuesday after which its delivery boy Subhajit, a resident of Rajpur Khurd, set out with the order.

When an employee of the eatery had asked for the address, the caller had requested that the delivery boy be sent near a hospital in Maidangarhi area of Mehrauli. “The caller said he would be at the spot to collect the order. But when Subhajit reached the spot, he was directed to come to the backside of the hospital. It was a forested area where two youths met him,” said the officer.

The victim was further led into the forest where the order was finally collected from him. Just as Subhajit took out his wallet to give change, one of the accused pulled off the wallet from him. The two then fled into the dark jungle while the victim stood petrified at the spot. The wallet contained about Rs 7,000.

He then returned to a brighter area before he informed his company and subsequently the police. A case of theft and use of criminal force was registered by a police team that arrived at the spot soon. On penetrating the forest, they found empty packets in which the sandwiches were delivered. Police said the two thieves even ate the food before leaving for their homes.

Police said that the two thieves are in their early twenties. While one is a student, the other is employed with a private company. Their involvement in possible similar thefts in the past is being probed.