Memphis has seen a troubling wave of armed robberies targeting mobile food vendors and brick-and-mortar eateries throughout December. According to a social media post from the Memphis Police Department, a series of bold daytime and nighttime heists have struck various food businesses leading up to the new year. The incidents ranged from robberies at taco trucks like Taco Nganas on South Perkins Road and Sabor Salvadoreno on Summer Avenue to fruit stands and local restaurants such as Tom's Barbecue on Getwell Road.
The perpetrators, in several instances a pair of armed males, were not discriminating in their targets - food trucks, fruit vendors, and even customers at local eateries fell victim to these brazen thefts. An armed robbery on December 14, set the pace for subsequent hold-ups, which occurred almost daily over the following week. Taco trucks like Taco Cancun and Taqueria Los Compadres experienced recurrent assaults from assailants brandishing guns and demanding cash. A robbery of a notable mention involved a black Dodge Charger stealing cash from a victim at Elizabeth A Taco Stand, as detailed by the aforementioned Memphis Police Department post.
These criminal acts accumulated in gravity when, last Sunday, a foiled robbery at Oaxaquena Food Truck on Getwell Road erupted into a frightening episode as the owner discharged a weapon to thwart an attempted invasion. This incident precipitated a police pursuit that ended with the suspects' vehicle crashing and the culprits fleeing on foot. Despite their escape, authorities subsequently apprehended two suspects on December 30, who now face a slew of charges ranging from aggravated robbery to aggravated assault on a first responder.
The Memphis Police Department reports that the detained individuals are both 17 years of age and have been charged with multiple counts of aggravated robbery, among other offenses. One teenager has been charged with thirteen counts of aggravated robbery, a clear indication of the scope and severity of these criminal escapades. The names of the accused have not been released due to their status as minors. The community's response to these events has been one of both relief and concern, recognizing the swift response by law enforcement while also reflecting on the vulnerability of local businesses to such attacks.
