Three men dressed in black and wearing ski masks carjacked a taxi driver in Canarsie just before 1 a.m. Saturday, according to police, turning a late-night fare into a crime scene.
Investigators say the trio approached the cab at Avenue M and East 180th Street, displayed a knife and a gun, and ordered the driver out of the vehicle. The men then drove off in the taxi, police told News 12 Brooklyn. Officers later located the stolen cab at an undisclosed location, where they found the driver’s keys and cellphone still inside, officials said.
Police are asking for the public’s help identifying the three suspects. Anyone with information is urged to contact the NYPD Crime Stoppers hotline at 1‑800‑577‑TIPS. Crime Stoppers accepts anonymous tips and may offer a reward for information that leads to an arrest, according to the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers page on NYC.gov. Tips can also be submitted online through the program’s tip portal.
Drivers and transit workers targeted locally
The carjacking comes on the heels of other recent violence against drivers in the neighborhood: a B42 bus operator was beaten on Feb. 25, and CBS New York reported a near‑fatal shooting of a livery driver in Canarsie last year. Those incidents have heightened safety concerns among for-hire and transit workers, especially on late-night runs.
Potential charges
If the suspects are arrested and prosecutors allege they were armed or displayed a firearm, they could face robbery in the first degree, a class B felony under New York Penal Law §160.15, which covers forcible theft committed while armed or when a firearm is displayed, as outlined in New York Penal Law §160.15. Other charges, such as robbery in the second degree or unauthorized use of a vehicle, could also be considered depending on the evidence.
Police say the investigation is ongoing and are asking neighbors to check any door-cam or dash-cam footage that might have captured the suspects or the stolen cab. Anyone with video or information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1‑800‑577‑TIPS.
