Fake Uber driver robs woman in Manhattan, remains at large

A woman who thought she was in a hired car was robbed and threatened by the driver before she was able to flee from the vehicle on Park Avenue.

Around 1:30 a.m. on Saturday, May 15, a woman got into a vehicle that she believed was a car she requested near the corner of Mangin and East Houston streets, police reported.

The woman had used the Uber app on her phone to request the ride, the New York Daily News added.

As the victim was being driven up FDR Drive in the suspect’s black four-door sedan, she realized that they were not headed toward her residence, police stated.

As the driver passed the 96th Street exit, he demanded money from the victim while threatening to shoot and sexually assault her, according to authorities. The victim complied and gave him her property.

After the car exited into northern Manhattan, the victim escaped while they were stopped at a red light at Park Avenue.

The suspect drove away with the victim’s iPhone, wallet, $20 in cash, a jacket and a pair of gold earrings, police added.

The suspect was described by police as a black man in his 30s with short hair and a beard.

Anyone with information should call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS or, for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA. The public can also submit tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website at www.NYPDCrimeStoppers.com.