Safety fear for returning cabbie

Taxi driver Dev Sangha is nervous as he heads out on the streets of Tauranga tonight, two days after he was robbed and threatened by a passenger claiming to be the leader of the Rotorua Mongrel Mob.

The 37-year-old, who has lived in New Zealand for the past 15 years, picked up a man in his early 20s from Exeter St, Bayfair, about 8.50pm on Monday who asked to be taken to Papamoa.

While the pair were on Tara Rd, which links Domain and Parton Rds in Papamoa, an altercation began.

It ended with Mr Sangha handing over the $50 to $70 cash he had in his pocket, some of which has since been recovered, and fleeing the scene with his car door still open.

A frightened Mr Sangha pushed the emergency button in his vehicle, alerting the taxi dispatchers he was in trouble and called police.

Detective Sergeant Pete Blackwell said a man had since been arrested. Police wished to thank the public for their assistance.

- Read more in today's Bay of Plenty Times