Passenger steals car from taxi stand but crashes minutes later

A man pretending to be a passenger stole a car from a taxi stand on June 29 while the driver was seeking out other passengers, but crashed it minutes later.

Around 9 am on June 29, the 53-year-old taxi driver was parked on the Couva taxi stand near Busy Corner, Chaguanas.

A man dressed in a white jersey and black three-quarter pants approached the car and sat in the front seat.

The driver then got out of his white Nissan Tiida and walked away to look for other passengers, leaving the keys in the ignition.

Minutes later he saw the passenger climb into the driver’s seat, start the car and drive off heading south along Southern Main Road.

The bandit, though, did not get far as he crashed the car minutes after stealing it.

Police were called to the scene of a multi-car accident two kilometres away and found the car abandoned.

Witnesses said the driver fled after hitting several other vehicles.

Police are following several leads as they hunt for the suspect.

Meanwhile police are also looking for a car stolen from a teacher in Belmont and another car stolen near Westmall.

The teacher parked her car, a black Nissan Sentra, near St Margaret’s Boys Anglican Primary School around 10.30 am on June 28.

She returned three hours later and realised the car, valued at $167,000, was missing.

She filed a report at the Belmont Police Station and the case has been assigned to PC Smart.

Around 7.30 pm on June 29, a Mt Hope woman parked her black Hyundai Creta on the side of the Western Main Road near Massy Supermarket in Westmoorings.

She returned around 10.45 pm and realised the vehicle was missing.

PC Jack, who is assigned to Four Roads Police Station, is leading that investigation.