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Thieves targeting dashboard tablets in taxicabs

Published  January 25, 2018 10:22pm EST
U.S.
FOX 29 Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA (WTXF) - A new target for thieves in Philadelphia seems to be backfiring. Over the past few months, they've been stealing the dashboard tablets inside taxicabs.

At least ten of them have been stolen from "2-1-5-GET-A-CAB". Thieves have been grabbing them when the driver is not inside.

The new tablets were installed in 600 of the 1,000 cabs around the city. They connect with an app and allow for cashless payments. The new technology is an effort for cabs to compete with Uber and Lyft.

Each tablet costs about $350, but for those stealing them, hoping to re-sell there is no payday.

"They're complete encrypted. There's nothing you can do with these tablets once they're outside of a taxicab," attorney Danielle Friedman said.

The new technology is bringing some customers back. Some cabbies say their business dropped by nearly 40% after Uber and Lyft moved in.