One local business will no longer deliver pizzas to the city’s Southeast Side after two of its employees were recently robbed at gunpoint.

The decision came after a third armed robbery on Monday night, which eventually resulted in the arrest of three men who are allegedly connected to the two pizza-delivery incidents and one other case.

Reginald Payne, 20, Laron James, 19, both of Iowa City, and Elander Simmons, 20, address unknown, face several charges after the late-evening incident.

Pizza Pit, 214 E. Market St., will no longer deliver to an area south of Highway 6 between Gilbert Street and Scott Boulevard, said owner Tim Kelly.

The ban will stick until his employees feel safe again, he said.

“Both employees were shaken,” Kelly said.

In both robberies involving Pizza Pit drivers, employees immediately gave over the money, ran away and called in the suspect description to police — exactly what they were supposed to do, Kelly said.

One driver’s description led to the immediate arrest of one of the two suspects in Monday night’s robbery. While the delivery driver was calling in the incident around 9:49 p.m., Iowa City police officers reported seeing two suspects running with their hoods up in the same location.

Dispatchers notified officers, who then saw two men changing clothes in the Sycamore Mall parking lot, according to police.

Police later allegedly found money and receipts from the pizza-delivery driver, clothing, one of the suspect’s IDs, and a replica .45 automatic BB gun, according to police.

Simmons was charged Monday with first-degree robbery, ongoing criminal conduct, both Class B felonies, and going armed with intent, a Class D felony.

James was charged with first-degree robbery, going armed with intent and interference with official acts, a simple misdemeanor.

After further investigation, police issued charges for Southeast Side robberies on Aug. 20 and Aug. 29.

Simmons was charged with first-degree robbery and going armed with intent in the Aug. 20 incident, where he allegedly put a gun to a woman’s head and demanded her purse while she was sitting in her car.

On Aug. 29, a Pizza Pit delivery person was robbed by two people, one holding a gun, while making a delivery.

Payne was charged in the Aug. 29 incident with first-degree robbery, going armed with intent, and third-degree burglary.

Simmons — the only person allegedly involved in all three robberies — was charged with going armed with intent and third-degree burglary, an aggravated misdemeanor. A charge of first-degree robbery was not yet filed.

The robberies are similar to crimes committed by members of the Broadway Goons, a locally brewed gang mostly made up of individuals age 17 and under, said Iowa City police Sgt. Troy Kelsay.

Other local businesses have temporarily halted deliveries to specific streets and telling employees to be more cautious.

On July 25, another pizza-delivery driver was robbed at gunpoint in the 10 block of Regal Lane.

The Wedge Pizzeria, 517 S. Riverside Drive, decided Monday night following the robbery not to deliver to Western Crosspark when it is dark unless it is a known customer.

“It’s really unfortunate,” said Luther Nash, the manager at the Wedge. “You don’t want to brand one whole area — it’s not good business.”

The establishment might return serving the area now that police have caught the suspects, he said.

Dangerous deliveries

Three pizza-delivery drivers were robbed at gunpoint this summer. The incidents occurred in southeastern Iowa City.

• July 25 — 10 block of Regal Lane