uber china

Uber Driver Arrested for Robbing, Molesting Passenger in Chengdu

Suspect caught within two days of reporting to police

Police have arrested an Uber driver in China for allegedly robbing and molesting a female passenger at knife point.

An unnamed 42 year-old woman in Chengdu, Sichuan used Uber to call for a ride at around 2am two weeks ago. After picking her up, the driver stopped midway through a tunnel and robbed her of RMB 5,000. He then drove to the outskirts of the city where he molested her, took pictures, and threatened to release them if she went to police.

The victim waited two weeks, and then finally reported the incident to police on August 9. Two days later, a suspect was charged with robbery and “forcible molestation of a woman.” Uber representatives are described in reports as not providing any comment, and have not confirmed that the arrested suspect is an Uber driver.

This past June, another Uber driver was implicated in a sexual assault on a drunk female passenger.

Uber’s expansion in China has faced opposition from government regulatory agencies and local taxi drivers in addition to a poor public image from reported incidents such as these assaults. Uber’s Chinese offices in Guangzhou and Chengdu were raided by police a week apart last May, while unsubstantiated reports say Chengdu taxi drivers targeted a Uber driver in a vicious retaliatory assault.

Charles Liu

The Nanfang's Senior Editor