GUELPH – The Guelph Police Service is warning the community about two males possibly operating a fake taxi scam in the city.
Approximately 10:30 p.m. Tuesday, a local taxi driver noticed the rooftop sign had been stolen from her cab while it was parked on Macdonell Street. Surveillance cameras showed a white Cadillac SUV circling the downtown before the driver dropped off a passenger on Macdonell Street just after 10 p.m.
The male approached the victim’s vehicle and quickly removed the sign. He ran back to the Cadillac, which was parked near Wyndham Street and Carden Street, and got in with the sign. He was wearing all black clothing with some white designs.
Since then, we have received at least three reports of males in a black SUV with a yellow taxi sign on the roof approaching residents in busy parking lots. In each case the passenger claimed the driver would not accept cash and asked the victim to use their debit card to cover the fare in exchange for cash.
One refused, but the other two attempted to assist the “passenger” and realized afterwards their debit card had been swapped and the suspects took their card. In one case the victim’s bank account was immediately cleared out at a nearby ATM.
The suspects were described as possibly Indian or Middle Eastern, in their late 20s or early 30s and driving a black SUV – possibly a Toyota RAV4 – with a yellow taxi sign on the roof.
Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Sergeant Brandon MacKenzie at 519-824-1212, ext. 7202, email bmackenzie@guelphpolice.ca, leave an anonymous message for Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or leave an anonymous tip online at www.csgw.tips.
