OSAKA (TR) – Police in Ibaraki City are hunting for three men who allegedly assaulted and robbed a taxi driver early Thursday morning, reports the Sankei Shimbun (Nov. 12).
The incident occurred at approximately 4:40 a.m. on a street in the Toyokawa area. According to the Ibaraki Police Station, the three suspects had hailed the 45-year-old driver near JR Ibaraki Station roughly 40 minutes earlier.
As the cab reached the destination, the trio launched a coordinated attack. Authorities say the men held the driver in a headlock and sprayed an unidentified substance—suspected to be spray paint—directly at him. The assailants then threatened the victim, shouting, “Give us your money, or we’ll stab you.”
The robbers managed to flee the scene with 60,000 to 70,000 yen in cash. The driver was not injured during the encounter.
Investigators described the suspects as wearing black hoodies and face masks. Police are currently scouring security camera footage in the area as they continue their search for the three men on robbery charges.
