Three men suspected of operating a fake-taxi robbery syndicate in Windhoek have been arrested following a series of alleged robberies targeting mainly female passengers.
Police say they have been pursuing the suspects for the past two to three months after receiving reports of passengers being robbed by individuals posing as legitimate taxi operators.
The suspects allegedly used fake taxi numbers and registration plates to lure unsuspecting passengers before threatening them with knives and forcing them to transfer money from their bank accounts.
In one alleged incident, a victim lost about N$20 000 and was reportedly subjected to further intimidation, including having her hair pulled out.
The vehicle allegedly used in the robberies has since been impounded.
The City of Windhoek is urging commuters to use its taxi verification app to check the details of a taxi by entering its registration number.
Commuters are advised not to board the vehicle if the information displayed on the app does not match the vehicle, as it could be a pirate taxi.
Police are also appealing to other possible victims to come forward and open cases, which could assist with the investigation and lead to further arrests.
Report: Johanna !Uri≠khos
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