TEENS SET UP PIZZA DELIVERY GUY

SHOCKED WHEN DRIVER SHOWS UP
WHO ORDERED A GUN ON THEIR PIZZA?

Elyria – For the last year or so many food delivery people have been in fear after a rash of fake orders that lead to armed robberies of drivers. That fear was lessened late last night after Elyria Police arrested 3 teenagers on West River Road North after they ordered a pizza from Marcos.

Elyria Police received a call from Marcos Pizza late Saturday night after they got suspicious of a caller. The employee from Marcos took an order for delivery to 748 West River Road North and believed it was the same voice that had called in an order for a delivery on Foster Ave that turned into an ambush on one of their drivers. Police knew they didn’t have a lot of time so they quickly put together an operation.

Police requested that Marcos bring them a car top sign, pizza box and a Marcos ball cap. Police then began to surround the area of the home on West River.

An employee from Marcos said that while Police were preparing to make their move the teen called back asking where his pizza was and that he had seen a driver in the area. That driver was going to another location and the employee assured him that his driver would be there in a few minutes.

Elyria Police Officer Tom Baracskai, aka Pizza Delivery Guy Tommy, suited up with the Marcos ball cap and a large Adidas jacket over his Police K9 uniform and headed out to the house.

As Baracskai made the turn onto West River from Lake Ave in another Officers private vehicle the Police radio went silent – the next voice you would hear would be Baracskai when he was ready for the sweep.

Baracskai said as he approached the house carrying a single pizza box. The box was not filled with a hot Marcos pizza but a .40 caliber handgun. Police had cut a hole in the bottom of the box so Baracskai could have his hand on the gun throughout the operation. He first spotted one black male in the front yard, “As soon as I pulled in the driveway he ran into the house and then came back out and met me in the front yard. When I asked him if he called for a pizza he said for me to go inside that the other guys had the money.”

Knowing that things could only go bad if he were to enter the house Baracskai told the teen to just have the other guys come out for the pizza. The teen continued to try to get Baracskai to enter the home and do the deal inside.

Feeling that the friends inside were not going to play along with the plan Baracskai told the teen in the yard that he was going to get his money bag from the car and would be right back. As Baracskai turned he reached into the Adidas jacket and through his shoulder mic he told the other Officers to approach. The teens must have spotted him talking into his jacket because the teen in the front yard bolted as did another teen from the front porch through a side door on the north side. Both teens ran between the houses and jumped fences to get into the back yard – little did they know that Officers would be right there. Both were apprehended just moments after they ran.

Once both teens were secured Officers went to search the home for additional suspects and any weapons. Officers walked up the steps just behind Elyria Police K9 Fokey who had been waiting in the back seat of the fake pizza car. As soon as Officers took the first step into the enclosed front porch the found the third suspect hiding just to the left of the door. Officer quickly took him into custody and then found a loaded sawed-off shotgun lying beside him on the floor.

All three teens were certified and taken to the Lorain County Detention Home.

When TMC NEWS went to Marcos Pizza and showed the employees the photos of the three teens in custody they cheered and were visibly relieved.

NOTE: Like in the past incidents where delivery drivers were robbed the house was a vacant home and the three teens were able to get in the enclosed porch area. Also, in one of the previous robberies a victim told Police that he was struck with a small shotgun type weapon.


PHOTO GALLERY