Uber drivers’ nightmare ends

Three suspects alleged to have assaulted and robbed five Uber drivers in Midrand were remanded in custody by the Alex Magistrates' Court pending further investigation.

Three suspects alleged to have assaulted and robbed five Uber drivers in Midrand were remanded in custody by the Alex Magistrates’ Court pending further investigation.

Two from Kaalfontein and Noordwyk intend pleading guilty while their counterpart, who is also an Uber taxi driver from Rabie Ridge, is denying the charge.

They allegedly robbed three victims early in the morning of 6 July, and another two on 8 August.

Police trailing them spotted their taxi, a Toyota Atos parked on the roadside in Midrand on 4 September and arrested them. This after one of them found with four cellphones, failed to account for them or activate their pins.

In all instances, they parked their taxi at a distance and two of them walked to the victims and claimed their car had broken down and wanted to be transported to various destinations. Once inside the victims’ taxis, they assaulted and robbed them at knife- or gunpoint. The first two victims were assaulted at knifepoint and robbed of two cellphones each, and wallets containing bank cards and R500 and R850 in cash respectively. They also took the vehicles’ keys.

The third and fourth victims were also assaulted and robbed at knifepoint of two cellphones each, wallets with bank cards with one containing R700 in cash. They also took the vehicles’ keys.

The last victim was assaulted and robbed at gunpoint of two cellphones, R800 in cash and his vehicle’s keys.

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