Thieves Becoming More Benevolent

In recent weeks, several passengers have been robbed by a fake cab driver. (The fake cabby was driving a car with white lettering and a passenger in the front. The driver is a “a black male who was clean shaven” in his mid-20s, so that narrows it down a bit.)

The robbers m.o.: Drive your victims to ATMs, make them take out money, then give them $20 for cab fare home. Aww, isn’t that nice? These guys may steal your wallet and your money, but at least they don’t leave you stranded on a streetcorner for a worse robber to beat you up. Get robbed and get a $20 tip.

Apparently, though, this trend is spreading. Check out a crime log entry from Lower Makefield: “100 block Penn Valley Terr., 8 p.m., Tue, Beach Cruiser bicycle from unlocked garage, left in its place was HARCO Backtrail bicycle, $50 value.”

I can only assume this is some sort of multi-level marketing scam. You steal one bike and exchange it with a better bike you’ve stolen, then you repeat until… well, I dunno, until you have a dirtbike or something else cool. Also, a HARCO bicycle sounds much cooler than a “Beach Cruiser.”

Public safety log for Oct. 11 [Bucks County Courier Times]
Penn student a victim of local taxi robberies [Daily Pennsylvanian]