Crime & Safety
Two Brothers Arrested After Cab Driver Reports Robbery
Two suspects were arrested early Saturday morning after a cab driver told deputies his passengers beat him and stole his cell phone.
Editor's note: This story originally ran Saturday morning.
A cab ride from Del Mar to Encinitas turned violent early Saturday morning when the two passengers assaulted the driver and stole his cell phone, according to the Sheriff’s Department.
A deputy driving on Encinitas Boulevard around 1 a.m. noticed the cab driver sitting in the grass in front of the Jack in the Box just east of El Camino Real. The deputy stopped and the driver said he had been beaten by two males that also stole a $40 cell phone.
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Deputies quickly found the two suspects in a nearby parking lot and took them into custody, according to Sgt. Bill Munsch. One of the suspects became combative and a stun gun was used during the arrest.
Taken into custody were Joshua Vanderbrink, 38, and his brother Joseph Vanderbrink, 33. They face robbery and battery charges and were booked into the Vista Detention Facility.
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The cab driver was treated at the scene for minor injuries.
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