SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
At least one restaurant in the city is warning its delivery drivers about the dangers of working at night after a delivery driver was mugged on Lanky Court.

RCMP stated in a news release that the driver was waiting to be buzzed into a building at 12:25 a.m. on April 8 when he was pushed to the ground by two assailants.

Police stated the driver was held down and had personal items stolen from him. The culprits were dressed in black, had covered their faces and fled on foot, according to police.

A search by officers using a police dog failed to locate the suspects, police stated.

Police have not said which building on Lanky Court the driver was waiting to get into nor have they said how the suspects covered their faces. Police have also not identified which company the driver was delivering food for. The suspects remained at large as of press time.

Courtney Robertson, manager of Pizza Hut, said she had spoken to her drivers after hearing about the incident on Lanky Court.

"We've told our drivers not to carry personal belongings that would be valuable to them, like their cellphones, when they are outside their vehicles," Robertson said.

"And to carry as little change as possible. Sometimes drivers will carry hundreds of dollars on them. We try to tell them to carry less than $50. That way you are not out so much money at the end of the night (if they are robbed) and for their personal safety."

Drivers can call the customer from their vehicle and then leave their phone in the car when they go to the door, Robertston said.

Robertson said it is up to the individual drivers when it comes to where they feel comfortable delivering food.

"There are certain neighbourhoods that some of my drivers won't go to. Then there are other drivers who are brave enough to go," she said. "We've had risks in certain areas and we refuse to deliver in some areas for the sake of our drivers.

"Knives have been pulled, people have tried to grab our money, people have tried to enter our vehicles multiple times. We just refuse to go back to these places."

Robertson chose not to name any specific neighbourhoods or streets where they have had trouble in the past.

Mike Jovic, a cab driver who lives at Lanky Court, said he hadn't heard about the attack on the delivery driver but added he wasn't surprised.

"I drive here for a long time. I've never been robbed but when I see some people that are too dangerous I don't pick them up," he said.

Jovic did not elaborate on how he decides whether people are too dangerous to pick up but he has found knives in his taxi, he said.

Three people were arrested after a taxi driver was attacked and robbed at night back in late February. RCMP stated it happened on Latham Island and the three suspects fled on foot. The driver was treated at Stanton Territorial Hospital and released.

RCMP Const. Elenore Sturko stated in an e-mail that she did not have safety tips for late night drivers because she did not wish to suggest that the delivery driver and the cabbie who were robbed were not taking adequate safety measures.

She stated that it is always important to keep personal safety in mind.

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