Crime & Safety

Chinese Delivery Driver Robbed at Braintree Village

The following information was supplied by the Braintree Police Department. Where arrests or charges are mentioned, it does not indicate a conviction.

A 26-year-old Chinese food deliveryman was assaulted Wednesday night by two men at Braintree Village and robbed of $196 and food from the local restaurant.

Braintree police did not name the victim nor the Chinese restaurant. In a statement, Chief Russell Jenkins said the two men and a female were arrested after an investigation aided by Braintree Village management.

Ronald E. McCoy, JR, 20 and apparently homeless, and Devante X. Hill, 20 of Newton, were charged with unarmed robbery, larceny under $250 and conspiracy.

Learna L. Preston, 22 of Cambridge, who Jenkins said attempted to conceal the cell phone used to place the food order, was charged with the above crimes and also obstructing justice.

At approximately 9 p.m. Wednesday night, the delivery driver arrived at a McCusker Drive apartment but was unable to contact anyone who made the order, Jenkins said.

He called the number provided during the order and was told to meet someone in the vestibule downstairs. At that point, McCoy and Hill allegedly assaulted the driver, stole the food and money and fled toward the rear of an adjacent building.

"Using the call back number as a starting point, and receiving assistance from 
Braintree Village management, officers and detectives were able to identify another apartment in the complex where the suspects might be staying," Jenkins said.

"After a brief surveillance, two men and two women were observed exiting the apartment and detained by officers. The victim made an identification of the two men.... Inside the apartment, officers located a paper bag with Chinese food cartons and a receipt imprinted with the apartment number and telephone number that the deliveryman originally attempted to deliver to."


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