Cabbie sought in string of robberies

Jen Lawson

Monday, Aug. 11, 2003 | 9:56 a.m.

Authorities this morning were searching for a former cabdriver in connection with a string of armed robberies over the past three days, including a kidnapping Sunday afternoon.

Lt. Ted Snodgrass of Metro Police's robbery unit said Wagnaw Asagre Getahun may be driving a white 2001 Mitsubishi Diamante that was stolen at gunpoint Sunday from a man living near Rancho Drive and Craig Road. The car has a Nevada license plate of 779MMK.

Investigators from the Taxicab Authority, Metro and Henderson police are actively searching for Getahun, and North Las Vegas Police have been notified to watch for him.

"We thought we had a sighting of him this morning," Snodgrass said, but the tip didn't pan out.

Getahun, who worked as a cabdriver for about five years before getting fired last month, "knows the city like the back of his hand," and finding him is proving difficult for authorities, Snodgrass said.

"He's all over town -- downtown, in Henderson, in the northwest," Snodgrass said. "He's familiar with all the (cabdrivers') devices. He knows all their tricks," including emergency alerts cabdrivers use, he said.

The robbery spree began about 2:45 a.m. Friday, when an adult entertainment establishment in the 3100 block of Industrial Road was robbed by a person using a semi-automatic handgun.

The owner recognized the man as a cab driver that he had an argument with in the past, Yvette Moore, Taxicab Authority administrator, said.

Another four armed robberies were committed over the next few hours, including a carjacking of a cabdriver and a robbery of a passenger.

About 4:20 a.m. Sunday, a Checker cab was flagged down at Palace Station, the driver robbed and ordered out of the cab. The cab then was driven away. The cab was found several hours later in the 4500 block of North Rancho Drive.

Sunday afternoon the home near Rancho and Craig was broken into and the resident made to get into his car and drive off. The victim was dropped off on the Owens Drive overpass.

Anyone with information on Getahun's whereabouts is asked to call the Taxicab Authority at 486-6532.