audio/video in Vegas cabs??

Casino City Times has an article about the botched robbery at the Rio and the blunders made by the robbers.

One of them:

"Gao and Yamaguchi covered the cab's interior camera to hide their faces, but they didn't realize the audio was still recording, which captured their incriminating conversations about the robbery."

Whoa Nellie!!! There are cameras and recording devices inside Vegas cabs??????

I haven't used a cab in Vegas since the early nineties, so with tech advances since then, it doesn't suprise me. Now if the cabbie only had a SMARTphone instead of the dumb one he used...................

Good Luck!
Ric at Joes

There are cameras in taxis around the country. Often for vehicle safety showing what's in front in case of an accident, and often one inside which shows the passenger, for "driver safety".

As a target for robbery, etc, cab drivers are very vulnerable. I think the cameras are a good thing for them. Occasionally there is a sign announcing the CCTV, other times there is not.

I do not believe having cameras take pictures of every passenger/rider is a violation or invasion of privacy. Most metro run buses, trains, etc also now have them.

VIDEO AND AUDIO ?? Is the AUDIO required for driver safety??????

Do you only watch silent movies?

Video with audio miniature security devices are cheap, and when a criminal is hiding identity through the use of disguise or concealment, the recorded voice can still be used like a fingerprint.

Ummm... let me put the question differently.... you and your wife are in the back of the cab talking about the ten grand you just won at Wynn and whether or not youre going to put it in your safe in your room or deposit it at the cage.

Yes, you shouldnt be talking about it in a cab. But, a cabbie shouldnt be able to hear it either.

Many cabs have safety/privacy screens between the back seat and the cabbie's front seat. But now we find out there are microphones??

Sometimes husbands and wives do more than just talk about money in the back seats of cabs.

I was thinking the same thing . No extracurricular activity. Sit there like good children and wait until you get to the room. Next thing you know you will be on You Tube/ x-rated version

Let me spell out to you before anyone else thinks this is "innocent."

Every time I get into a cab I do three things:

1. look at the cabbie's license and address the cabbie by name.
2. ask the cabbie if he is a member of "Shomrim." that's the New York Police Dept association for Jewish Officers. Why do I ask that? Because if he is an experienced cabbie he knows damn well what it is.
3. I ask the cabbie if he ever had to put his hand on the roof. why do I ask that? its the universal signal for a cabbie in trouble and needs a police officer.

I cant tell you how many times fares (customers) got robbed or hijacked or killed because the cabbie overheard a conversation.

Why do you think cabbies ask at the airport "where are you from" or "been to Vegas before" ?? because if you are new to Vegas youre a mark. if you come from some small city youre a mark. tunnel route? scenic route? wanna see the strip?