OCEAN CITY & OCEAN PINES TAXICAB ROBBERY – UPDATE

Ocean City Police have identified and charged a suspect in the taxicab robberies that took place on December 30, 2010. On January 1, 2011, Ocean City Police arrested Thomas Scaniffe, 17, of Ocean Pines.

Scaniffe was charged as an adult with armed robbery, robbery, first degree assault, second degree assault, two counts of theft less than $1,000 and resisting/interfering with an arrest. After his initial appearance by an Ocean City District Court Commissioner, Scaniffe was held on a $250,000 bond and transferred to Worcester County Jail.

On December 30, 2010, at approximately 1:15 a.m., the Ocean City Police responded to the area of 5th Street and Edgewater Avenue in reference to an armed robbery. Officers interviewed the victim of the robbery, who was an on-duty taxicab driver. The victim told officers he received a call from a restricted phone number requesting a cab ride from Ocean Pines to Ocean City. The cab driver picked up two males at approximately 12:50 a.m. on Marview Drive and brought them to Ocean City. Once at 5th Street, the two males assaulted the taxicab driver, taking money and other items.

A second similar incident took place on December 30, 2010 at 9:30 p.m. A taxicab driver responded to Brandywine Drive in Ocean Pines. Two males entered the cab, demanded money, and assaulted the driver with a weapon.
The investigation is ongoing. Ocean City and Ocean Pines Police ask anyone with knowledge about the incident or the suspects to contact the Ocean City Police Department’s Criminal Investigation Division at 410-723-6604.