Unrelated robberies share food factor

COLUMBIA — Two separate crimes occurred on Tuesday night and early Wednesday morning, but they shared a common factor — food.

In the area of Sunset Trailer Park, a 25-year-old woman was delivering pizza around 8 p.m. Tuesday when she escaped an attempted robbery after getting lost in the area, according to a Columbia Police news release. She had made a wrong turn while searching for the delivery address when her car was surrounded by five or six males in their late 20s. According to the release, the group of robbers demanded her money, but she was able to flee in her car without turning over any money. The woman was delayed for about 25 minutes before she could report the incident due to vehicle trouble, the release stated.

A man walking on the 1600 block of Towne Drive in Columbia was robbed at gunpoint at approximately 1:30 a.m. Wednesday, according to a Columbia Police news release. The victim, a 20-year-old male, was leaving a convenience store when he was approached by a dark-skinned black male. The man was approximately 5'11'' and weighed about 160 pounds with a slender build. He was wearing all-black clothing, a blue undershirt and a ski mask. The robber displayed a handgun and demanded the victim's cell phone and wallet. He surrendered both, although his wallet contained no money. The robber then demanded the victim's soda and potato chips before forcing him to the ground and fleeing on foot. As of Wednesday morning, police had identified no suspects.