Two men charged in connection with robbing a taxi driver at gunpoint are scheduled to appear in court today.
Prince Buses Jr., 19, and Celow R.C. Woods, 20, were charged Saturday with first-degree robbery after police arrested them a day earlier. Police said the men robbed a Charley’s Taxi driver at gunpoint near the Pali Safeway grocery store on Jan. 13 after the driver drove them there.
Their preliminary hearing is set for District Court today. Both remain in custody in lieu of $50,000 bail each.
Images from a surveillance video camera installed in the taxi helped police identify the suspects. Dale Evans, owner of Charley’s Taxi, thanked police for tracking down and arresting them.
On Jan. 13, police said, the taxi driver was dispatched to Times Supermarket in Liliha to pick up two men. One of the culprits told the driver to take them to the Safeway on Pali Highway.
When they arrived, Buses brandished a handgun and demanded money and the driver’s cellphone, according to a court document.
Woods, also known as Robert B. Martindell, allegedly “yanked” at the surveillance camera near the dashboard. Police said the taxi driver feared for his safety and gave them $80 and his iPhone before they fled.
No injuries were reported.
Police issued a crime bulletin asking for the public’s help to identify the two men in the video. CrimeStoppers received multiple tips identifying Buses and Woods as the suspects.
The court document said Buses’ father also reported to police that his son was involved in the robbery after he saw surveillance camera footage on KHON 2. He reported that the suspect holding the gun was his son.
Evans said the firm installed surveillance cameras in all 260 of its cabs in the summer of 2015 to help protect drivers.
“It really helped to have those photographs,” she said.
Police arrested Woods at about 11:40 a.m. Friday in Chinatown. About an hour later police arrested Buses in Waikiki.
