Youth charged with a number of serious attacks on Wellington taxi drivers

Police have arrested and charged a 17 year old female with a number of serious attacks on Wellington Combined taxi drivers.

The 17 year-old faces charges including aggravated robbery, robbery and theft and has appeared in the Wellington District Court yesterday. She will reappear on Friday.

Detective Constable Craig Whitley of Wellington CIB says it's alleged she was involved in two serious incidents on the 29th of August.

"The first is alleged to have occurred around 2-45pm when she took a taxi from Karori to Wainuiomata. Once the taxi arrived at her destination she fled with a sum of money."

"Later that same day, around 8-30pm, it's alleged the offender caught a taxi from Lambton Quay to Karori and assaulted the taxi driver with a blunt instrument, before fleeing with the taxi driver's purse."

Detective Constable Whitley says luckily the taxi driver didn't suffer any injuries, however the third alleged incident was more serious.

On the 5th of September, the offender is alleged to have caught a taxi in Karori and after the taxi driver had driven her a short distance, she assaulted the driver using a knife as a weapon.

"She has then allegedly used the weapon to strike the taxi driver in the side of the head and in the ensuing struggle bit his finger, which required surgery."

Craig Whitley says these are serious incidents and Police are doing all we can to ensure taxi drivers in our city can feel safe whilst at work.

ENDS

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