A dozen pizzas stolen every week

Most cases not reported because ‘pizza hi toh hai’

Noida-based actors Jaswinder and Rahul pose as pizza robbers, escaping with their loot (BCCL)

Noida-based actors Jaswinder and Rahul pose as pizza robbers, escaping with their loot (BCCL)

Most incidents happen near colleges

Managers thought we were lying about robbery: Delivery boys

That snatchings and armed robberies are common in Noida is no secret. Each day, newspapers carry news of people being robbed in different parts of the city. However, if you think that cellphones, cash and other valuables are the only items stolen, you are in for a big surprise. Pizza, it seems, has also become a favourite choice for them of late. Pizza delivery boys here say that on an average, there are 8-10 such incidents in the city every month, but most remain unreported. With a dozen pizzas being stolen in Noida every week, we take a look at the intricacies of this unusual crime.Delivery boys in the city say that there is no definite number of stolen pizzas from Noida, but say that its over a dozen a week on an averge. “Ab yeh toh nahin keh sakte ki poore Noida mein kitni chori hoti hai, par sunne me aata hai sabse ki hafte mein do-teen incident ho jaati hain,” says Ramesh, a pizza delivery boy with Dominos . Ramesh’s colleague adds, “It’s not as if they steal only one pizza when they rob you. Saare le jaate hain jitney ho aapke paas. Normally, a delivery boy carries 4-5 pizzas when out for delivery.”The latest case took place on January 6, when Rajnish, a pizza delivery boy, was robbed in Sector 58. He tells us, “I had parked my bike, and was looking for the address, when three men came on a bike, and snatched the pizzas from me. Before I could react, they sped off towards Sector 57.” Fortunately for Rajnish, a PCR van was in the area. He called the cops and the accused were apprehended with the stolen pizzas at a traffic signal in Sector 57, within the next 15 minutes.However, this case is an exception because pizza robberies are hardly ever reported. A manager of a Dominos restaurant in Noida, says, “We make a written complaint about it, but most times, no FIR is filed. A written complaint is required because we have to document stolen pizzas, and report it to our superiors. Par FIR ka jhanjhat kaun lega? Pizza hi toh hai.” The police, although acknowledging that such crimes do occur, say they cannot investigate, if the cases aren’t being reported. “Yes, we have heard of the odd cases of delivery boys being robbed in the city, but we can’t take action or investigate, if the cases aren’t being reported,” says a senior police official.According to delivery boys, pizza robbers don’t strike them as the average criminals, and seem to be among the educated lot. A Pizza Hut delivery boy tells us, “Although the robbers hide their faces with a cloth or a helmet, you can tell that they are not the average criminals. Awaaz aur baaton se toh padhe-likhe type lagte hain.” They say that since many of these robberies are committed near college campuses, it might validate their assumption.Ravi, a delivery boy in Greater Noida, says, “Most of these incidents happen near Knowledge Park, where all the colleges are. It could be because it’s a deserted area, but the thieves seem to be well-off, not the regular criminals. Normal choron ko pizza chura ke kya milega?” Even in Noida, the most common spots for pizza robberies include areas near Sector 58 and Sector 62 – both close to several colleges, apart from places like Sector 12, and places close to Expressway.Delivery boys say that there is no specific time frame for such incidents. In busy areas, they take place usually after sunset, but in more remote areas like Expressway and Knowledge Park, incidents have taken place during broad daylight as well.When the robberies first started, a few years ago, delivery boys were faced with the difficulty of convincing their bosses that they were actually being robbed. Their superiors suspected them of selling the pizzas, and then reporting them as stolen. A pizza delivery boy at a joint in Sector 18, tells us, “Initially, it seemed funny, but when the incidents started happening more regularly, it became ridiculous. Shuru mein toh managers maante hi nahi thay ki aisa kuch hua hai. Kehte thay ki tum ne koi ghapla toh nahi kiya hai, aur ab keh rahe ho chori ho gaye. That is why we insisted on informing the police. Report na likhwayein, phir bhi bata toh dete hi hain police ko.”