Man with gun beats, robs taxi driver in Des Plaines

An armed robber beat a cabdriver with a gun and stole $200 from him, Des Plaines police said.

Police gave this account:

The man approached the taxi driver around 8:20 p.m. Jan. 28 on the 1600 block of Stockton Avenue at a fast-food restaurant at 3067 Mannheim Road and asked him for a ride, saying he was sick.

The driver, who was waiting for a regular customer to arrive from the airport, drove the offender to the Stockton address.

The robber pointed a handgun at the cabdriver and ordered him to hand over his money. He told the cabbie the gun was real and showed the driver that there were two bullets in the gun.

The robber then hit the driver on the head several times with the butt of the gun and a bullet fell on the floor of the cab.

After the robber grabbed the money, he ordered the driver out of the cab and told him to lie on the street.

The driver refused and tried to use his cell phone, but the robber took the phone and threw it on the street. The robber reached into the cab and removed the ignition key, then fled toward Arndt Park.

The cabdriver could not get his phone to work, so he walked to a nearby home to get help, but the female resident refused to open the door.

He drove home and then to Glen Oaks Hospital in Glendale Heights, where he was treated and where the police were contacted.

The offender was described as a Hispanic male, 20-25 years old, 5 feet 6 inches tall, 170 pounds, medium build and complexion and wearing a black hooded sweatshirt.