Suspects Sought In Violent Beating, Robbery Of Cab Driver In Philadelphia
By Elizabeth Hur
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Newly released video shows the men who, police say, brutally beat a cab driver and left him in the trunk.
On Monday night, the victim spoke to Eyewitness News.
"I'm lucky to be alive. That's all," Peter said.
Eyewitness News is withholding the victim's last name as he remains hospitalized, still recovering from head injuries that required more than 100 stitches.
Peter says he feels lucky to be alive, and he is hopeful that with help from the public, police will catch the two men caught on surveillance video.
Police say the video shows the suspects just minutes before they hail a ride with the 57-year-old cab driver, who spoke to us on the phone from the hospital.
For the first time in his 16 years as a cab driver, he says he was brutally beaten and robbed.
The victim says he picked up the suspects at the 69th Street Terminal. They then asked to be dropped off at 82nd and Lindbergh. Once at the location, the victim came under attack.
Peter recalled, "They just put a belt around my neck … then I got strangled. They were threatening me with a gun … threatened to kill me."
Lt. John Walker added, "The two males were then able to take the victim's wallet, which contained three credit cards. They then asked the victim for his pin numbers. He was refusing to give it to them. They drug him from the car began beating him about his head."
"They threw me in the trunk eventually, and they told me not to look at them … they went driving around in the cab for awhile. Told me to count to 100, and then they were gone," Peter said.
The incident began at about 11:15 p.m. on February 14th.
The victim's landlord, who wished to remain anonymous, lives with the victim. He is grateful the 57-year-old got free and managed to drive himself to the cab company's headquarters to get help. Both men now ask anyone who recognizes the suspects in the video to do the right thing.
"Until they're caught, they're going to get somebody else," the landlord said.
Peter added, "Hope they catch them … these guys will do it again."
Anyone with information is asked to call the police at (215) 686-TIPS.
