“The incident occurred late Tuesday night when the cabbie picked up his victim from south Jeddah’s auction market. Both had agreed on fare to Al-Ruwais. However, when the car reached its destination the driver noticed a large amount of cash his victim was carrying,” said police spokesman Col. Misfer Al-Juaid.

The spokesman said the taxi driver drove past his victim’s house, chose a dark spot, parked his vehicle and waited for the victim to arrive near his car before assaulting him and fleeing with the cash.

“Eyewitnesses called the police, and gave investigators the vehicle's description along with its license plate number,” said the spokesman.

“An ambulance took the victim to a nearby hospital where he is expected to be released in four days.”

The suspect allegedly admitted to the crime and is currently being held at a police station in Sharafiyah. No further details were available.

In a separate incident, a group of men was arrested in Dahban in north Jeddah for allegedly stealing steel cable worth more than SR19,000 from private villas in Durrat Al-Arus sea resort. Police said one of the men called the police after having a dispute with his co-conspirators over his share of the money.

“Dhaban police station in northern Jeddah conducted an intensive search for the men following the suspect's phone call and made arrests.

Police did not say how many men were in the group or any other details about them.