Vélez-Málaga taxi passenger stabs driver and steals 500 euros

The Local Police arrested on Tuesday a 19-year-old man for stabbing a taxi driver and stealing 500 euros in Vélez-Málaga.

The incident occurred at around 1am, during a taxi journey from Vélez-Málaga to Benamocarra.

According to investigation sources, the young man first punched the driver and then stabbed him in the chest and the armpit area.

The taxi's security cameras captured the assault.

After the attack, the suspect stole a fanny pack containing approximately 500 euros in cash and fled the vehicle near Camino de Remanente. Despite his injuries, the taxi driver managed to alert the authorities, prompting a large-scale police operation in the area.

Shortly after the attack, the police located the perpetrator. To avoid arrest, he reportedly stabbed himself in various parts of the body, including his stomach and arms.

He was in a highly agitated state, after allegedly having consumed drugs. The situation forced the police to take extreme precautions to restrain him and prevent him from continuing to self-harm.

Both the taxi driver and the alleged assailant had to get to hospital. The police took the young man to the Axarquía hospital and then to the mental health unit.

After his discharge from hospital, the police detained him again.

The victim suffered injuries to his face, side and armpit. He is in a stable condition.

The assault highlights the vulnerability of certain professionals who work alone at night. The taxi industry has repeatedly called for increased security in response to violent incidents during night shifts.

The presence of a security camera in the vehicle could prove crucial to the investigation, as happened with this case. It records incidents and allows for a precise reconstruction of events.