My brother was mugged near 77 Magnolia coming home from work early this month. He's not an easy target being reasonably streetwise, but one had a gun and another had a bat. He has lived his entire life in the area and never had a problem until recently.

October is also Gang Initiation month, so expect more of this random stupidity.

Our neighborhood Chinese restaurant delivery folks use a car for delivery, call us once they are parked in front of the house and only leave the car once we open the door. With so many attacks on delivery people in Jersey City, it's better to play it safe.

Journal Square/The Island: Mugged, but all they got was food

Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Jersey Journal

A Chinese food deliveryman was mugged late Friday night, Jersey City cops said.

The 20-year-old, of Jersey City, who works for Panda House Chinese Restaurant, was making a delivery to Waldo Avenue on his bicycle when he was stopped by three men and two women at 77 Magnolia Ave., and one of the men hit him in the abdomen with a weapon, police said. The deliveryman dropped his bicycle and the food and ran back to the restaurant, where he called police, cops said.

A police investigation located the bike across the street from where it was left, but neither the muggers nor the food were found. The food was worth $8.25. The victim was treated at the Jersey City Medical Center.

TOM SHORTELL