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Spate Of Cab Robberies Spreads To Tampa

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By VALERIE KALFRIN

The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 19, 2008

TAMPA - Police are looking for two men who attacked a cab driver at knifepoint, one of whom the cabbie stabbed in the hand.

A 45-year-old cab driver from Spring Hill suffered a small cut to the front of his neck during the robbery attempt about 7:20 a.m. Thursday, Tampa police said.

Detectives on Friday released surveillance video of the two men from a 7-Eleven convenience store in hopes of identifying them.

The driver picked up the men at the 7-Eleven at State Road 54 and Old Pasco Road in Wesley Chapel, and drove them to 9603 N. 15th St. in Tampa, police said.

The attack occurred about a week after three cab drivers were attacked in St. Petersburg and another one was killed.

In the attack in Tampa, one of the men exited the cab at the destination, saying he needed to get money. When he returned, the passenger grabbed the driver around the neck as his partner pointed a knife at the driver and demanded cash, police said.

The driver struggled with the men, grabbed the knife and stabbed the back-seat passenger in the hand, police said.

Both men then ran.

Police described the men as Hispanic and in their 20s. One man stands about 5-foot-3 and weighs about 140 pounds; he was balding with black hair and was clean-shaven. The other man stands about 5-foot-5 and weighs about 160 pounds; he had long, curly black hair that was tied in a ponytail.

Investigators asked anyone with info to call (813) 231-6130.

Reporter Valerie Kalfrin can be reached at (813) 259-7800 or vkalfrin@tampatrib.com. Keywords: Cab Robbery, to see the surveillance video.

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