Pizza Delivery Man Robbed, Murdered In Severn
SEVERN, Md. (WJZ)-- There's a murder mystery in Anne Arundel County, where police are trying to find out who robbed and killed a pizza delivery man. It happened Saturday night in Severn's Meade Village neighborhood.
Andrea Fujii has details on the murder and the impact it's having in that community.
It happened in an area many food delivery drivers won't even go to because of past robberies. This time around, thieves took more than just money--they took a life.
The lights are out inside the Pizza Boli restaurant on Annapolis Road. The family-run business closed on Sunday after someone robbed and stabbed delivery driver Ghulam Farooq, 46, in the 1800-block of Meade Village Circle in Severn.
"One of the neighbors found the man unconscious on the road, the street," said Cathy Pearmon of the neighborhood association.
Pearmon lives in Meade Village—a neighborhood with so much crime that nearby Fort Meade has labeled it off-limits to its military members.
In fact, several other food delivery drivers have been robbed there in the past.
"It makes the community bad for the good residents that live here, which most of the residents that live here are good," Pearmon said.
Police are investigating whether the robbers in this case called in a fake delivery.
"It's not unusual for this type of robbery attempt to occur, and in this case, it was a robbery and assault that went horribly wrong with the death of this poor man," said Lt James Fredericks, Anne Arundel County police spokesperson.
The crime hit close to home at nearby Deno's Pizza where Farooq once worked.
"He was very family [oriented] and [a] very nice guy," said Mohammed Islam, Deno's Pizza.
As a result of the murder, Deno's drivers will join several other local restaurants who refuse to deliver to Meade Village.
"I'm going to tell everybody don't go out there after dark--even the daytime, don't go there," Islam said.
"It's sad that you have to come home and hear that a crime happened where you live," Pearmon said.
Anyone with information on the case is urged to call Anne Arundel County Police. Or you can send your tip anonymously through Metro Crime Stoppers at 866-7-LOCKUP.
