Bradenton teen accused of robbing Taxi driver at gunpoint
BRADENTON, Fla. (WFLA) — A 16-year-old was arrested Thursday and is accused of robbing a 'Taxi Caribe' driver at gunpoint, according to the Bradenton Police Department.
At 1:48 p.m., police said they received a call from the driver to report the robbery that occurred in the 500 block of Martin Luther King Avenue West.
The victim told police that he received a WhatsApp notification for a ride from a customer named 'Bob' with a pickup location in Palmetto and a drop-off location at the Martin Luther King address.
The taxi driver told detectives that he had given the customer rides to and from those locations several times within the last 3 months.
According to police, the suspect paid for the ride in cash and asked for change. As the driver opened a compartment where he kept cash, 'Bob' pointed a gun at him and demanded the money.
After the driver complied, the suspect fled from the car.
After researching the Palmetto address, detectives found a previous case involving a 16-year-old that matched the driver's description of the suspect.
This was confirmed when the victim was presented with a photo lineup and identified the 16-year-old as the person who had robbed him.
The Bradenton Police Department arrested the teen and has charged him with armed robbery with a firearm, juvenile in possession of a firearm, and violation of probation.
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