Playa del Carmen, Q.R. — Over the weekend, several Playa del Carmen taxi drivers reported having their units stolen at gunpoint. At least three taxis were reported stolen in a 24-hour period between Saturday and Sunday by city drivers.
All three units were recovered, found abandoned a short time later. Each of the units had been stripped inside of any valuables. The drivers reported each of the units had been stolen by different armed men.
The first of which occurred in the Nicte-Ha neighborhood, when two subjects stole a unit, cell phone and money from the taxi driver. Other Lázaro Cárdenas del Ríounion union drivers spread an alert. The car was eventually found abandoned along 40th Avenue and 25th Street.
However, soon after, another taxi driver reported that his unit had also been stolen. It was later located on Avenida 30 and Calle 88 in the Colosio neighborhood. Those responsible were described as tall and overweight. Hours later,
At dawn, a third taxi was reported stolen in another part of the city.
Initially it was feared that the taxis would be used to commit crimes, however, all three units were found abandoned in different parts of Playa del Carmen. When found, anything of value, including car stereos, had been removed.
In the past two weeks, Playa del Carmen taxi drivers have reported the theft of at least seven of their units, some of which, have yet to be recovered.