2 Charged, 1 For Stealing Food From Delivery Guy, The Other For Lying About It: Worcester Police

WORCESTER, MA—Two men are facing charges after one of them allegedly pretended to have a gun and robbed a delivery guy of his food, and the other one tried to hide it.

Around 2:30 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 5, police were called to 118 Highland St., where an armed robbery had just happened outside of 58 Fruit St. The victim met officers in the parking lot of the Sole Proprietor.

The victim told police that he went to the address on Fruit Street, got out of his car, and walked up to the man who was sitting on the front ledge of 58 Fruit St. The delivery man asked if he was the person who ordered the food, and the suspect said he had. At this time the victim noticed that the suspect was holding a paper bag that had the outline of a handgun, said police. The victim didn't actually see a gun, but said that the suspect was holding it in a "threatening manner and that whatever was in the bag was shaped just like what a gun would look like."

According to the victim, the suspect was described as approximately 5’5” tall, thin build, wearing all dark clothing and holding a paper bag that he believed contained a handgun.

The delivery driver handed the suspect the food and walked to his car and drove off, noticing that the suspect was walking toward the back of 60 Fruit St. Officers traced the phone number to that which was used to order the food from the pizza place.

Joseph Czubek, 59, Fruit Street, answered the door when officers knocked. Officers asked Czubek if anyone else was inside the studio apartment, and he said no.

Because the incident involved a possible gun, officers did a protective sweep of the property and found Christopher Durham, 23, Cavour Circle, West Boylston, hiding under a jacket in the corner of a closet. Durham fit the description of the suspect that was provided by the victim. Inside the apartment police recovered the stolen food and the matching order number that was with the food while the copy was with the victim. The search did not locate a weapon.

Durham was placed under arrest and charged with Armed Robbery. Czubek was placed under arrest and charged with Misleading a Police Investigation.

Both men were arraigned today at the Worcester County District Courthouse.

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