February 18, 2008
Fake Cabbie/Real Rapist Behind L.E.S. Rapes Caught
Late last year a cabbie (or rather, fake livery cab driver) had been targeting young women outside of The Box on Chrystie Street. After two reported rapes, those heading to and from the club were on guard. Finally, now a suspect has been caught and confessed...and the ladies of New York have a Scores stripper to thank for it.
The Daily News reports the exotic dancer was leaving work early Sunday morning when she hailed a town car which she thought was a livery cab at 10th Avenue and 29th Street. She was sexually assaulted by the driver but managed to fight him off and take down the license plate number. An hour later the driver picked up four women at the same intersection. After three of the women were dropped off, he attacked the remaining woman in the back seat; the victim who also took down the plate number.
When police apprehended, 28-year-old Brooklynite Torkieh Sadagheh, he confessed to "assaulting the Scores dancer" but denied raping the second woman. In addition, he also admitted to "abducting, robbing and raping" the two women who had patronized The Box on different occasions. Charges are expected to be filed against Sadagheh later today.
Photo of a real cabbie and the NYPD via mikeleeorg's flickr.
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Wow, that is great that they found this guy. But that's the problem with town cars - you don't know if the drivers are actual livery cab drivers.
While Right Rides only has service on Saturday nights, RR and the Center for Anti Violence Education have self-defense class options for women and transpeople.
hate to burst your bubble jen, but using a licensed yellow cab provides only the illusion of safety. i can't even count how many times i've been in yellow cabs where the photo on the license doesn't match the guy driving.
when you stop and think about it, how often do you really check???
Good thing they got the guy.
Those immigrant cab drivers all look the same to me. How did they catch him?
I never get into a black livery cab. There's no way to tell if they're licensed/real or not. At least a yellow cab has markings all over it.
And I always check the cab driver against his photo on the license. If I have any doubts, I call a friend on my cell phone and tell them I'm in a cab that belongs to so and so on the license, loud enough for the driver to hear.
THe fact remains that if you're in a yellow cab, people notice you get in, and get out, and perhaps notice you fighting inside. A lot of those black livery cars have smoked windows. I don't think it's just an illusion of more safety in a yellow cab due to its mere lack of inconspicuousness.
i have made it a habit to to write down or remember the taxi car number and ALWAYS GET A RECEIPT!
a good thing to know in self defense is dirty fighting, gauge eyes, bite and punch in the throat—no attacker can resist a throat punch, if you're lucky, you'll kill him/her.
His actual quote to reporters during his perp walk: "She was drunk! If I rape her how come I drive her home?"
The defense rests your honor.
At the very least, if you are getting into anything other than a yellow cab, the license plate should begin with a T and end with a C, that means at least it is licensed by the Taxi & Limousine Commission. Anything else you are basically just getting into a random person's car on the street.
How does a guy attack a girl in the back seat? I'm really curious.