Published: July 10, 2009 08:19 am      

Police: Juveniles target pizza and wings in robbery

Increase in teen crimes may prompt more severe penalties

Beckley Police say two teenage boys robbed a pizza delivery driver — just to get their hands on pizza and chicken wings.

Detectives note this is not the first delivery person allegedly robbed by juveniles. Now, more teens could find themselves behind bars.

One 17-year-old boy is charged with second-degree robbery and conspiracy to commit a felony, said Detective Cpl. Jamie Blume. The boy was charged Thursday. Another juvenile male suspect has yet to be identified.

Around 10:15 p.m. Tuesday, a Papa John’s Pizza delivery driver arrived in the 100 block of Lincoln Street, Blume said. There, he was reportedly assaulted by two teenage boys. The suspects took four pizzas, an order of cheese sticks and an order of chicken wings before fleeing the scene, Blume said.

One suspect’s cell phone fell out of his pocket at the scene, Blume said. Police used that to eventually identify the suspects.

Blume noted Papa John’s number was in the cell phone’s call log. Before the robbery, the suspects called Papa John’s, ordered four pizzas and gave the restaurant a fake Lincoln Street address. They called back later to add cheese sticks and chicken wings to the order, police added.

Blume and Detective Sgt. David Allard said the suspect that has been arrested confessed, saying food was his primary motivation.

“We believe his whole motivation was the food,” Allard said. “He said he was hungry, and he wanted pizza.”

The suspect is presently in his parents’ custody, but that may change for him — and others who may try to follow him, Allard said.

The suspect could find himself detained later, Allard said. The city has handled other delivery driver robberies, and most suspects have been juveniles. Five teens — three of them only 14 years old — were identified as suspects after ice cream vendor Al Jessup was robbed on Rails to Trails June 14.

When juveniles are arrested, they are either sent to a detention center or to their parents or guardians. Allard said the Raleigh County Prosecutor’s Office wants to take a tougher stance with juveniles charged in robberies and other violent crimes — possibly moving to detain them more often.

— E-mail: apridemore@register-herald.com