NH Police Warning Businesses After Pizza Delivery Drivers Robbed

SALEM, N.H. (CBS) --- In 22 years of business, the owners of Blue House Family Pizza in Salem, New Hampshire say their delivery drivers have never been robbed, until now.

One of them was attacked this month while delivering an order to nearby Methuen, Massachusetts.

"He had somebody put a gun to his head from behind him and he basically said give me all your money," said Julie, one of the restaurant owners who did not want her last name used.

A delivery driver from a Papa Gino's in Salem was recently robbed as well. He was delivering pizza to a Salem apartment complex when a man approached him with a knife.

"He was threatened with being killed if he didn't hand over the money," said Salem Deputy Police Chief Shawn Patten.

In the wake of the attacks, the Salem Police Department is warning restaurants and delivery drivers to be on alert and to confirm phone numbers, especially from people who are not regular customers. Investigators believe the same man may be responsible.

"Nothing's foolproof," said Patten. "Just be careful and be cognizant of where you're delivering. It's not giant money but it's big money for the people that are getting robbed."

Another attack may have been thwarted.

Blue House got a call from someone who placed a similar order as before and used the same address as the Papa Gino's attack which they had heard about. The owner got suspicious so she asked for a phone number.

"He says to us, 'I'm calling from a payphone, I don't have a cell phone' so right there and then we knew it wasn't legit," said Julie, who called the number, found it wasn't in service and then called police.

"The apartment that was used as the address was vacant and the area around the apartment was very dark," said Patten.

Blue House is taking the incidents seriously and making changes, including not accepting 'private number' calls altogether.