FOOD DELIVERY MEN MUGGED AT BAYVIEW

By Charles Rogers

Using the same tactics on two succeeding nights, four muggers attacked two men delivering Chinese food to the BayView Houses project, beating the delivery men with bats and other weapons and, in one case, taking at least $300 in cash. It is unclear how much cash was taken in the second incident. In both cases, the food was also taken.

According to officials at the 69th Precinct Detective Squad, the first attack happened at about 12:15 a.m. on Saturday in front of the building at 1553 East 98th Street. The 37-year-old victim, whose name was not released, was just outside the building when four men appeared on the front walk and "just began attacking me," he told police. He said one or two of the men struck him with baseball bats and the others hit him with sticks. They then took his money and the food. Neighbors, hearing the commotion, called police and a canvass of the area was conducted with negative results.

The following night, another delivery man from a different Chinese take-out restaurant was called upon to make a delivery to another building on East 102nd Street. He, too, was accosted outside the building and attacked by four people with baseball bats and sticks. An undetermined amount of money, plus the food, was taken in this case too.

Both victims sustained cuts and bruises, police said. None of the wounds is life threatening.

In both cases, detectives said the respective take-out restaurants received multiple phone calls asking them to "hurry up" the deliveries.

Anyone with information on either case is asked to call the 69th Precinct Detective Squad at (718) 257-6215 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS. All calls will be kept confidential.