A cab driver from Lakewood tells police he was strangled and robbed early this morning. The 50-year-old cab driver working for Lakewood Taxi LLC tells police that at about 4 AM today he picked up a white male in Lakewood in the area of Central Avenue and Route 9. The customer reportedly asked to be transported to Lacey.

The cab driver stated that he drove the customer to Lacey Township and was directed to drive down Lakeside Drive East and stop just east of Mariner Road in Forked River.

The cab driver was reportedly offered what he believed was a fake one hundred dollar bill. When the driver refused to take the fake bill, the subject reportedly wrapped what the driver believed to be a phone cord around the driver’s neck from behind thereby choking the driver. The driver reported that the subject made a demand for money to which he complied. After allegedly taking $124 from the cab driver, the subject reportedly ran from the vehicle into the wooded area.

The cab driver drove to Lacey Township Police Headquarters to report the incident. He described the subject as a white male with facial pock marks, black hair, slender build, 35-40 years old, approximately 5’9”, looked sickly, wearing a black sweat shirt, a green Eagles hat with a white eagle, medium blue colored jeans, work boots, and a chain wallet.

Sketch Artist Daimon Santa Maria of the Ocean County Sheriff’s Department responded to police headquarters and prepared a sketch to assist with identifying the suspect. The investigation is currently ongoing and the suspect has not yet been identified as of 11:30 a.m., Friday, August 15, 2014.

Anyone with information regarding the incident is asked to call the Lacey Township Police Department at 609.693.6636 or submit an anonymous crime tip through the Lacey Township Police Department website at www.LaceyPD.org/crime-tips/.

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