Robbers force delivery men into big rig, rob them of thousands in cigarettes

Robbery similar to others across U.S.

SAN ANTONIO – Bexar County sheriff's investigators are trying to track down a group of robbers who forced two delivery men into the trailer of their 18-wheeler and stole thousands of dollars worth of cigarettes.

Deputies received a call reporting the incident shortly before 4:30 a.m. Monday and found the victims in the parking lot of a Shell gas station on Highway 87 near Loop 1604.

The two men told deputies they arrived to make a delivery at the convenience store, but instead four other men, some of whom had guns, forced them into the trailer portion of their semitruck and stole  cigarettes and other items.

The robbers escaped.

The Bexar County Sheriff's Office did not provide a description of them.

Deputies and detectives spent hours talking to the victims and collecting evidence from their vehicle.  

They hope surveillance cameras at the store might provide some clues.

Deputies said this type of robbery is not something they see very often, but one of the victims said it's not unusual for drivers to be targeted for their cargo when it includes cigarettes because they can be sold easily on the black market.

An internet search showed there have been several similar crimes committed across the U.S. this year.

The San Antonio Police Department said it is investigating a similar case that was reported last week.

 

 


About the Authors:

Katrina Webber joined KSAT 12 in December 2009. She reports for Good Morning San Antonio. Katrina was born and raised in Queens, NY, but after living in Gulf Coast states for the past decade, she feels right at home in Texas. It's not unusual to find her singing karaoke or leading a song with her church choir when she's not on-air.

Tim has been a photojournalist and video editor at KSAT since 1998. He came to San Antonio from Lubbock, where he worked in TV and earned his bachelor's degree in Electronic Media and Communication from Texas Tech University. Tim has won a handful of awards and has earned a master's in Strategic Communication and Innovation from Tech as well.