A local taxi driver surnamed Chan who is in his twenties has been arrested for extorting money from a passenger who had left her mobile in the taxi, a Public Security Police (PSP) spokesperson said during a regular press conference yesterday.
According to the spokesperson, the female victim and her husband, both from the mainland, reported the case on Wednesday afternoon. She told the police that they had got in a cab at Grand Lisboa Macau earlier that day hoping to go to the Venetian in Cotai, but the taxi driver, Chan, said the fare would be HK$400.
The couple declined and got out of the cab. Ten minutes later, the woman realised that she had left her mobile in the cab. She called her phone using her husband’s mobile several times until the driver answered, the spokesperson said.
The woman asked Chan to return her mobile, but he claimed to have a fare which would earn him HK$1,000 to HK$2,000 and would
not return the phone unless she was willing to pay as much. The woman told Chan that she would only pay HK$300, but he hung up. The couple then reported the case at a police station, where the woman called the cabbie again saying that she was willing to pay HK$1,000 and arranged to meet him at Grand Lisboa Macau later that day.
According to the spokesperson, a PSP officer accompanied the couple to the arranged meeting place and watched them from a distance. After a while, a taxi pulled up near the woman, who then got into the vehicle.
The spokesperson said the officer witnessed the woman handing Chan HK$1,000, who then returned her mobile. The officer immediately approached the driver and arrested him. The spokesperson said Chan has been transferred to the Public Prosecution Office (MP) for further questioning, facing extortion and other charges.
This undated photo provided by the Public Security Police (PSP) yesterday shows two PSP officers and the rogue cabbie.
