NEW YORK — Police are looking for an Uber Eats delivery driver who was allegedly caught on camera in the Bronx repeatedly punching one of his customers and stealing her order.
Uber says the man has been kicked off the platform. However, he has not been arrested so far.
The victim said she is now terrified of going to work.
“He Actually Hit Me Four Times”
Jazmin Abreu spoke to CBS News New York behind bulletproof glass in her eponymous jewelry store Monday night, days after she said the man who delivered her $89 grocery order knocked her out and stole the order.
“That won’t happen again. No Uber Eats, nothing,” Abreu said.
Tensions were high after she asked the man to deliver the order to the store last Wednesday afternoon, but he refused.
“Uber Eats, I always order from them and they just come, drop the food here and that’s it,” Abreu said.
Abreu said when she came out to confront the worker, he punched her.
Still images were captured from her store’s surveillance cameras, showing the moments before the attack. Another image shows the man the NYPD is looking for.
“He actually hit me four times. I fall to the ground. I can’t remember anything. He also hit my sister,” Abreu said.
Abreu said her attacker wanted to steal the keys and rob the home.
“He hit my hands and the keys ended up in the bags. He takes the bags. My sister goes after him. I go get the keys,” she said.
Do delivery apps perform background checks on employees?
There is a bell at the entrance, because the door is also locked during office hours. Clearly, safety was already a concern.
It begs the question: What kind of protocols and background checks do these delivery apps have in place to keep violent people off their platforms?
In a statement, an Uber spokesperson said in part: “Violence of any kind will not be tolerated on the Uber platform. We have contacted the customer and have denied the driver access to the platform. We are supporting law enforcement with their investigation.”
But while the suspect remains free, Abreu says she fears for her life.
“He said he would come back and kill me. That’s what he says,” she said.
Abreu said she is afraid for her life, but has no choice but to continue working.
“We have to do it, but it’s not… I mean, I’m scared, but we have to work,” she said.
