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Deliveryman dies after Lawrence robbery

E-mail|Link|Comments () August 1, 2009 05:01 PM

By John M. Guilfoil, Globe Correspondent

Someone placed a bogus order to a Chinese restaurant in Lawrence and then robbed the deliveryman of the food. The incident turned tragic when the deliveryman was found unconscious with a fractured skull and later died.

Thu Nguyen, 59, of Methuen was found lying on a sidewalk of an Osgood Street housing authority complex around 8 p.m. Thursday. The food he was delivering had been taken, but his car, wallet, cash, and even the other food orders he had in the car were still there.

Nguyen was taken to Lawrence General Hospital and later transferred to Tufts Medical Center where he died Friday of complications from a fractured skull.

The robbery appeared to be part of a disturbing trend, Police Chief John J. Romero said. More than a half-dozen times this year someone has ordered food using a random address and a throwaway pre-paid cell phone. The thief or thieves lie in waiting for the unwitting deliveryman to arrive. When he does, they jump him and take his food.

Romero seemed frustrated that a hard-working man like Nguyen died because of a few dollars worth of Chinese food.

"This is a case of a guy who’s just out there to make money and bring it home to his family,” Romero said in a phone interview today. “It’s tragic, just tragic.”

Romero said no witnesses have come forward, but police are following promising leads.

“We expect to find the person or persons responsible,” he said.

Nguyen was a driver for the Evergreen Chinese Restaurant on South Union Street. No one answered at the number listed for the restaurant this afternoon.

State Police and the Essex County District Attorney’s Office are aiding in the investigation.

John M. Guilfoil can be reached at jguilfoil@globe.com