Police are investigating after a taxi passenger stole the vehicle he was riding in from its owner.
Waterloo Regional Police say it happened around 8:30 p.m. Tuesday in the area of Weber Street East and Wilfred Avenue in Kitchener.
According to police, a man had just been taken to that area in the cab when he brandished a syringe and demanded the driver get out of the vehicle.
“The cab driver appeared to be threatened, his personal safety threatened. He did not take any unreasonable risks,” says police spokesperson Olaf Heinzel.
The suspect then left the area with the taxi.
The vehicle is described as a grey, four-door 2009 Toyota Camry with City Cab stylings and licence plate number BCRC 588.
Police say witnesses were able to give descriptions of the incident which led police to identify a possible suspect, who lives near where the incident occurred.
“We are in the process of trying to locate the suspect and also trying to locate the cab,” Heinzel says.
Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 519-650-8500 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
City Cab officials tell CTV News the driver is doing as well as can be expected given the circumstances.
Police are praising the driver for responding properly to the situation and not putting his life in danger – a sentiment fellow taxi drivers agree with.
“His life is more important. Cars can always be replaced,” says Mike Sima, president of United Taxi.
Goran Drmac, another driver with United Taxi, says all local taxi companies were notified of the incident Tuesday night and watched other vehicles carefully, looking for the stolen cab.
“It was frightening for all of us,” he says.
“Nighttime is a little more dangerous than daytime, but that’s part of the job. That’s part of our business, that we’re willing to take that chance.”
