Takeaway delivery drivers attacked and robbed nightly
By Aideen O'Flaherty
TAKEAWAY delivery drivers in Tallaght are being subjected to violent robberies and attacks on a nightly basis, with one deliveryman describing how a knife was held to his throat when he was robbed on Tuesday night, May 22.
Recently, a different food delivery driver was punched in the face three times as the assailant tried to get the keys to his car, leading a number of delivery drivers to contact The Echo to make the community aware of how vulnerable and unsafe they feel when they go to work, and to call for more assistance from the Gardai.
A pizza delivery man, who wished to remain unnamed, told The Echo how he was surrounded by three men while trying to deliver food to a house in Raheen.
One of the men proceeded to hold a knife to his throat and take €80 from him, while the others searched his pockets in a bid to find more cash.
The driver didn’t sustain any injuries during the course of the robbery and drove away from the scene shortly afterwards.
The delivery driver, whose car was also stolen when he was punched and then pulled out of it when he was delivering food in Maplewood last month, told The Echo: “You’re trying to make money for your family, you shouldn’t have to anticipate being robbed and risking your life – we’re just out there trying to make a living.
“I feel I can’t go back to delivering food anymore because the robberies have been happening too much and they’ve been getting worse and worse.
“In some areas of Tallaght delivery drivers are getting robbed left, right and centre.”
Pizza delivery driver Jomon Joseph (39) was attacked in Glenshane Green in the early hours of Wednesday, May 16, when he was handing food from his car to a customer.
Unconscious
As he handed the food to the customer a man ran towards his car and proceeded to punch Mr Joseph in the head three times and, believing Mr Joseph was unconscious, then tried to take the keys from his car.
The delivery driver escaped serious injury, as he managed to use his hands to shield his face from the oncoming blows, and he drove away from the scene after the assault.
Delivery drivers from the area told The Echo about how they have all been victims of robberies and attempted robberies, and how these issues occur on a near-nightly basis for the workers.
The drivers have also been threatened, with one delivery driver playing a recording of a phone call for The Echo where a customer made repeated threats to attack and kill the delivery driver over a minor dispute about cold food and being given a refund.
Mr Joseph told The Echo that it’s a “huge risk” for the drivers to do their job, as they fear being attacked and robbed, and the five delivery drivers who spoke to The Echo added that they all have families to support.
The delivery drivers are appealing to the community to take small measures to help the drivers, including having your money ready at the door, having a light on at the front of the house so that the drivers can see the area they’re approaching, answering your phone when the drivers call and watching them as they leave your house, as this well help them feel safer.
Jobin George (40), who delivers food for a local Chinese takeaway, told The Echo: “We need more cooperation from the customers, when we ring them they should open the door and put the light on.
“Some of the places that we go to look dead and dark and there are no lights on, we feel safe if there is a light there.”
All of the delivery drivers, including Biju Samuel (45) and Boban Abraham (47), called for more assistance from the Gardai, explaining that many delivery drivers are reluctant to report assaults and robberies as they are left waiting for long periods of time and don’t feel safe remaining at the scene.
Mr George said: “We need more guards in Tallaght, there needs to be an expansion plan and they need to be patrolling the area during the night.”
An Garda Siochana were contacted for comment, however they did not respond in time for print.
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