A routine shift turned frightening for a taxi driver in Midtown Manhattan on Sunday when a man allegedly climbed into his parked cab, pulled a gun and took off in the vehicle, according to police. Officers later tracked the stolen taxi to Lower Manhattan, where they took a person of interest into custody. No injuries were reported.
Responding to a 911 call, officers spoke with the victim, a 53-year-old driver, who told police that an unidentified man got into his cab, displayed a firearm and then drove off northbound on 10th Avenue. Police traced the cab downtown and recovered it at an intersection there, where a person of interest was detained. The investigation is ongoing, as reported by WABC‑TV.
Citywide crime numbers offer mixed picture
The NYPD says overall index crime has dropped in recent months, even as specific categories move in different directions. In April 2025 the department reported an approximately 3% decline in index crime compared with the previous year and a 7.2% year‑to‑date decrease in auto theft, according to an NYPD release. Auto theft, however, recorded a small uptick in April, so incidents like Sunday’s carjacking continue to surface even as citywide benchmarks trend lower.
Driver safety remains a concern
Taxi drivers have repeatedly been targeted in robberies and vehicle thefts in recent years, and local outlets have chronicled multiple Midtown carjackings that ended with suspects in custody. For instance, 1010 WINS reported a separate Midtown cab carjacking at knifepoint earlier this year that also resulted in an arrest. City and industry leaders have tried to push those numbers down: the Taxi and Limousine Commission’s 2025 annual report highlights driver‑safety training, remedial courses and other measures designed to protect drivers while they work.
