Halifax Cabbie Had No Idea He Was Getaway Driver For Robbery Spree

A Halifax-area cabbie says he is “humiliated” after being arrested and released by police early Saturday.

Bob’s Taxi driver Harry Richard, 54, picked up a customer late Friday night, shuttling him to three Subway restaurants, a gas station and a McDonald’s.

He said he was unaware he was participating in a crime spree.

“I didn’t know he was actually going in there and robbing the places,” Richard told The Chronicle Herald. “I don’t follow these guys in. I don’t know what they are doing.

“They go in. I stay in the car.”

Richard has worked as a taxi driver for more than 25 years, reported CTV News.

According to Halifax police, Stephen Paul Austin allegedly demanded money from clerks, emptying registers of an undisclosed sum.

No weapons were drawn during the robberies. No injuries were reported either.

At 1:30 a.m., police responded to calls and arrested Austin, 42, who was in the back of Richard’s taxi as it pulled up to a convenience store. He spent the weekend in jail.

Richard was also arrested by police at the time. He was released when officers concluded he had no involvement in the Austin’s plans.

“I lost the busy hours of my shift (and) I was humiliated,” Richard told Metro News. He added he wants the police to issue a public apology over what he said is a wrongful arrest.

Austin has been charged by Halifax police with two counts of robbery and four counts of attempted robbery.