FRAUD: Taxi driver persuaded to invest in 'precious stones' handed over £6,000 to passengers
Updated: Apr 4, 2023
Police are appealing for help to identify a man they want to speak to in connection with an incident of fraud which saw a taxi driver hand over £6,000 to three men in Ipswich.
A male taxi driver, aged in his 40s, picked up three males in his taxi on Wednesday 15 February. The three passengers then attempted to convince and threaten the victim to invest in what were described as ‘precious stones’.
After a few hours of discussion in the taxi between the four individuals, a threat was made to the taxi driver who was told that he was now complicit and involved, and it was claimed all the males were ‘dangerous people’.
The victim was persuaded to hand over £6,000 and the males then left the taxi and disappeared.
The images attached relate to one of the males who was picked up by the taxi driver from outside Halfords on Ransome’s Euro park on 15 February at 10:46am. The first male was picked up outside of Ravenswood McDonalds at around 10am. Male two was picked up from the Holiday Inn Orwell at around 10:20am. After this, male three was picked up outside of Halfords and is the male in the CCTV pictures.
Anyone who knows who the male depicted is or has experienced a similar situation as described should contact Ipswich police, quoting crime number 37/9757/23.
