Widow says that Con Trick Cab Driver Stole Cash and Jewellery
23rd June 2009
An Edinburgh widow claims a cabbie stole cash and jewellery from her as he pretended to help her from his taxi and up the stairs into her home.
Betty Brand, 73, lost £400 in cash and two gold bracelet charms, given to her by her late husband, when her purse was stolen as she returned from a shopping trip.
Mrs Brand, from Firrhill, said she was targeted by the driver after travelling with him from Morningside to her home on Thursday.
After pretending to help carry her shopping inside the flat he took her purse before driving off.
A witness later saw a taxi driver throw the purse, which still contained two other charms, out of the cab's window.
Mrs Brand said she was in deep shock after the incident: "I have so many health problems, I didn't need this. I had taken such a large amount of money out to buy a tumble dryer and the charms were very precious to me because my dead husband gave them to me as a good luck charm.
"Clearly the thief didn't think the other two were valuable.
"The person who robbed me is the lowest of the low. I hope he rots."
Mrs Brand said the theft occurred at around 2:30pm after the taxi driver insisted he take her inside.
She said: "I told him I didn't need help with my shopping because I am quite capable. But he obviously saw the large sum of cash when I opened my purse to pay him the £5.80 taxi fare.
"He insisted I took his arm and carried my shopping bags into the house. I noticed almost straight away that my purse was missing, but when I ran outside to try and stop the man he was already driving off."
She added: "I am certain he was local. He knew all about the area and drove like he knew the place. He had a black cab, but I have no idea if he was a genuine taxi driver. He seemed very talkative and civil."
She immediately reported the theft to police. who visited her at 5pm that evening The same night, her bank, the Bank of Scotland, phoned to say the missing purse had been handed in to one of their branches at Morningside.
"They told me a woman came in with the purse and said it had been thrown out of a taxi at her in the rain," Mrs Brand said. "The bank said somebody had tried to use my card and it was swallowed by the cash machine."
Now the pensioner says she fears other elderly people could be taken advantage of.
"I fear that this horrible person may target people with dementia, who may believe they have lost their purse rather than had it stolen," she said.
Mrs Brand described the thief as male, aged 40-50 with dark hair and a medium build and around 5ft8 tall.
The missing charms are shaped like a dog and a shepherd. "They are very much cherished and I wish I could get them back," she said.
A police spokesman confirmed that a complaint had been made. He said: "We are investigating the incident and are trying to establish the facts."
Source; Edinburgh Evening News
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