On the Lookout for Livery Cab Robber
The police are looking for a man in his 20 suspected of a series of livery cab holdups. Since August 5, the suspect is believed to have robbed at least six cabs by threatening cabbies with a knife and demanding their money. All of the incidents have taken place in the Bronx up through last Thursday. No major injuries have occured during the robberies, though amNew York reports that the last cabby did "scuffle" with the robber.
The Daily News happens to have a story about a former livery cab driver who bought a yellow cab (a hybrid Toyota Highlander) and medallion - and installed a special "L-shape" partition made of bulletproof Plexiglass. The partition basically makes a "cockpit" of the driver's seat - leaving the front passenger seat and back passenger seats behind the glass. Kiongo Maina, who was held up by a 14 year old with a gun while driving his livery car, said that though the TLC requires either a partition or a digital surveillance camera, "They say that if you are attacked, the camera will take a picture. What if I'm 6 feet below? If I'm dead, what good does it do me to have a picture? Or my wife and kids?" Taxi and Limousine Commissioner Matthew Daus says the new L-shaped partition may be available to all cabs later on.
