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Beech Grove police seek trio who took pizza delivery driver’s car

BEECH GROVE, Ind. (WISH ) — Beech Grove police are searching for suspects who ordered a pizza, not for food, but to rob the delivery driver.

According to police, it all started at Expo Bowling Center. Investigators believe the suspects ordered a pizza, then went inside the bowling alley with a gun and left with money from the cash register. That part was caught on camera.

Nov. 26 started as a typical night at Papa John’s Pizza on Emerson Avenue near East Thompson Road. Around 7 p.m., a call came in; pizza delivery. So the driver, 52-year old Jeffrey Collins headed out.

Right off Thompson Road, about five minutes away, Collins reached his destination: Willow Glen South. Apartment C, on the second floor was where the caller said she lived. Collins knocked, but nobody answered. He headed downstairs.

Before he could get outside the building he was confronted by two men and one female. They ordered him on the floor at gunpoint where they robbed him of less than $100, police said. They also stole his car. Without it, Collins can’t work.

“It seems particularly callous that here’s this person, the Sunday after Thanksgiving, at nighttime working, and then instead somebody else says, ‘Hey, this is how the easy way is going to do it,’” Capt. Robert Mercuri of the Beech Grove Police Department said.

Collins couldn’t call 911. His phone was in his car. He knocked on several doors, but nobody answered. So, he ran back to Papa John’s where he called police.

Meanwhile, police were investigating a reported robbery that happened about 20 minutes before at Expo Bowling Center. Surveillance cameras captured the suspects. At one point, the man with the gun removed the bandanna from his face. Police showed the video to Collins.

“Immediately upon seeing the video of the individuals involved in the theft at Expo Bowl, he said, ‘That’s the guy that robbed me,’” Mercuri said.

Although it’s too late to turn Collins’ night back into typical, putting the suspects behind bars would bring some peace of mind for Collins and the community.

“Makes you sick to think that somebody would be so mean to do something,” said Rose Schneider, who lives in Willow Glen South.

Claudia Rhoton, who also lives in Willow Glen South, said, “People can’t even make a living anymore. It’s sad.”

There were no reported injuries in either incident. Authorities have been unable to locate Collins’ car. It’s a 2002 tan Honda Civic. If you have any information that could help in this investigation, call the Beech Grove Police Department at 317-782-4949 or email them at crimetips@beechgrove.com.

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