NEW ROCHELLE, NY — Two teens were arrested Tuesday and a third was still on the loose after the trio hijacked a Pel-Town Taxi and attempted a strong arm robbery of the driver.
The driver called police at 2:06 p.m. and reported that he picked up a fare beginning in Pelham, NY and ending on Pershing Avenue in New Rochelle.
He said that as he arrived at Pershing Avenue he suddenly had a rope around his neck.
The driver says he told the teens he had just come on duty and had no money. The three teens proceeded to tied the man up in his car and fled into the nearby Nature Study Woods. The Nature Study Woods is property of Westchester County within New Rochelle. It is possible to get from the Pershing Avenue entrance to the Nature Study Woods to the Flandreau Avenue entrance, cross Webster Avenue and end up near the football field at New Rochelle High School. One of the suspects was identified as “Alex” from New Rochelle High School.
The driver called the police. He described his assailants as three male hispanics between 15-18 years old. The driver said they did not display any weapons.
Officers from New Rochelle, Pelham, Eastchester and Westchester County surrounded the woods. Westchester County Police called in a County Police helicopter that had been training in Brooklyn.
A New Rochelle Police K-9 unit picked up the trail of two of the suspects near the end of Pershing Avenue and followed the trail into the woods. The two suspects were corned by the K-9 unit and surrendered to police. They were taken out of the woods on Webster Avenue near Flandreau Avenue. A K-9 unit from WCPD was also involved.
Police were able to identify the third suspect, a New Rochelle resident from Lincoln Avenue, and soon released all units and the police helicopter.
The suspects were taken to the PACT Unit due to their age. GIU and PACT to continue the investigation.