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Local food delivery drivers concerned about safety after Waterbury murder

HARTFORD – Following the senseless murder of a delivery woman in Waterbury, delivery drivers around the state are on edge. On Tuesday night, Helena Vargas, 59, ...
delivery food driver

HARTFORD – Following the senseless murder of a delivery woman in Waterbury, delivery drivers around the state are on edge.

On Tuesday night, Helena Vargas, 59, of Waterbury, was found shot outside a home on Linden Street. She was out making deliveries with another worker for the Golden Wok restaurant, located on East Main Street, when they were robbed by four teenagers.

This is an extreme example of what could happen during these types of robberies, which unfortunately are somewhat common.

Drivers at A-1 Pizza in Hartford say they try to take precautions and be aware of their surroundings every time they make a delivery.

"You have to keep a look out for everything. You have to be ready for everything," said Muhammedi Sahin, who works at A-1.

Driver Fabio Mahawasala was robbed just last month. He told FOX 61 he was “ambushed” while making a delivery to a new customer late one night.

“I was on the phone with my boss and something hit me on my head, so I don’t know what happened,” said Mahawasala. “I tried to save myself.”

The robbers took his car and his cell phone. To make matters worse, this was the third time he was robbed on the job after just a year and a half working in Hartford.

“It’s very dangerous here. Sometimes I’m scared to make deliveries here,” he said.

Because of these dangers, A-1 Pizza owner Ismail Civelek has his drivers follow certain protocols. They don’t carry a lot of cash, they don’t deliver to certain neighborhoods that are known to be unsafe, and they’re told to stay in their cars during deliveries so they can drive off if they have to.

Sahin said, “At that point it’s not about the food. It’s about your safety.”

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