Cops recover truck with 1,250 cases of stolen liquor

A semi filled with more than 1,200 cases of alcohol was found on the South Side on Monday after two men allegedly held the driver at gunpoint before stealing the truck in Indianapolis last week.

About 12:30 a.m. on Friday, Indianapolis police were called to National Wine and Spirits on the 700 block of West Morris Street, where an armed robbery was reported, according to Indianapolis police Sgt. Matthew Mount.

The truck’s driver had parked the semi outside a liquor store and was resting in the sleeper portion of the truck before a scheduled morning delivery, Mount said.

After midnight, the driver heard a knock on the door of the truck and when he opened it, he was grabbed by two armed men wearing ski masks, according to a police report.

He was hit multiple times with “unknown objects” before being handcuffed and thrown in the back of an empty trailer in the parking lot. When he heard the men drive off -- with his trailer and 1,250 cases of alcohol -- he exited the trailer and called for help, the report said.

The driver was treated at a nearby hospital for his injuries.

On Monday, Chicago police recovered the truck on the 12000 block of South Avenue O, according to Indianapolis police. Two people were arrested and the truck was being held at the South Chicago District police station.

It was not clear whether the alcohol was still in the vehicle, and the names of the two suspects were not immediately available.

Indianapolis police investigated and Chicago police had no information immediately available.