Four South American men attacked and robbed a Palma taxi driver in the early hours of Saturday morning. This was the third violent assault on a taxi driver in the space of a week.
The men had hailed the taxi and soon after they had got in, they assaulted the driver and demanded money. From descriptions given by the driver, the National Police don't believe that this was related to the other incidents.
The first attack was a week ago. A Venezuelan was in a taxi going from the Avenidas to Arenal. Along the way he started to relate strange stories about his country. "There are no cats or dogs on the streets," he is supposed to have said before applying a chokehold to the driver.
The driver said: "Please, I've got kids." His attacker responded: "Sorry, bro, but I have to do this." The driver first faked passing out and then caught his assailant off guard, scratching his face furiously and ripping hair out. This worked, his attacker let go and ran off.
Early on Friday, three men who were speaking Portuguese punched a taxi driver repeatedly in the stomach and stole money and a mobile.