I need some advice

[benbramz]

Hello all,

 

I had gone on a night out wuith some colleagues from work, the friday just gone (28th) and towards the end of the night, a friend of mine was very ill (alchol related). It seemed to hit him when we stepped outside. He was in no ability to stand up nor communicate clearly. He was a wreck. I took it upon myself to get him home. I knew his address by luck, it was printed on his driving license.

 

I tried to call a taxi but all that arrived would not take me due to the state of my friend. I dont blame them. One gentlemen did, however, and luckily he had a minibus taxi. He looked at him and listened to my urge that he HAD to get home. I'd pay if any mess was made to his taxi. He seemed a genuine man - he helped me carry my friend into the taxi, where he was slumped on the floor. I told him we needed to go via a cash point, to pay for the ride. The driver agreed and we stopped at a local sainsburys supermarket.

 

My friend was being really ill. He was choking and small amounts of vomit were coming up. I'm a nurse, and took care of him on the floor of the taxi (you know, recovery position, airway presevation etc). The driver came round and I asked him how much i'd need. The fare would be £20, plus £30 fee for the mess that was now being made. I accepted this, and requested the driver take the money out of my account for me.

 

I know, this was MADNESS but i was stuck. I didnt want to leave my friend for fear he choke...and the driver seemed genuine and even MY judgement was clouded by the night out.

 

Long story short, we got my friend home. I phoned my telephone bank to check...as id now sobered up a little and panicked that ive given a stranger my bank card.

 

He'd taken £100 out my account. Sh!t...

 

I know im screwed here, but is there anything i can do? I'm aware i dont know his taxi number, nor his name or vehicle reg - and to make matters worse he wasnt a booked driver. All i know is the entry on my bank statement.

 

What, if anything, can i do.

 

Thankyou for reading.

[mightymouse_69]

I think the only thing you can do is report the incident to the police.

 

However, with no details about the driver, there may be little they can do. Worth a try though, there may be CCTV at the supermarket?

 

I guess your bank will take a dim view at the fact you gave the cabby your card!

[benbramz]

I think the only thing you can do is report the incident to the police.

This may sound silly, but, how? Ive never had any experience with this. Do i just walk into my local police station, and say what?

 

However, with no details about the driver, there may be little they can do. Worth a try though, there may be CCTV at the supermarket?

I know there is some pretty heft CCTV for the city that looks down on the car park from a nearby high rise building. I know this because i used to work at this very supermarket as a student. They could follow shoplifters out of the store and accross the carpark etc.

 

But, would the police really rewind cctv for such a silly, low rated crime?

[mightymouse_69]

Hey,

 

You can visit the local police station to report it, or call the non emergency number. This number can be found on your local force's website.

 

As for the CCTV, the police will seek evidence when conducting their investigations. However there probably is no harm in asking whoever owns the CCTV if they would have coverage of the area etc

[Conniff]

You better hope that he didn't clone the card as you gave him the pin number as well. There will be no chance of recovery from the bank because of that.

[flyingdr]

Cancel the card with the bank and ask for a new card and new pin. Tell the police but do not expect to get anything other than a crime reference number. It would be your word against his.

 

You did give him the card and number after all didn't you!!!!

 

Lesson learnt!!

[mightymouse_69]

Giving the cab driver the card and number would not negative his liability for theft, or any other liability for that matter.

 

However as you say - it would be a case of his word agianst the OP's, unless the OP can obtain proof that the £100 was withdrawn from the specific cash machine at that time.

 

The biggest difficulty would be finding the cab driver.

 

I would still report it, at least it's recorded that way.

[ScarletPimpernel]

I suspect that even if the driver was traced, he would simply say that the £100 was what was agreed between him and a drunk for having another drunk vomiting in his taxi.

 

I doubt the illness angle will help either - if he was that bad you'd have called an ambulance or taken him to ED.

[Conniff]

I can't believe than anyone would be stupid enough, even under the influence, to give their card and pin to a complete stranger.

Is it April 1st again already.

[flyingdr]

Hi Mighty mouse. Agreed it is still theft but - it is proving it.

We all know it was wrong what the driver did and he should be brought to 'book' but it just isn't going to happen unless he admits it. He took more than he was supposed to so why would he admit it, even if you could trace him.

I think a lot of cash machines have cameras these days. You could ask the police to request an image from the bank/ cash machine owner.

[mightymouse_69]

Hi Mighty mouse. Agreed it is still theft but - it is proving it.

We all know it was wrong what the driver did and he should be brought to 'book' but it just isn't going to happen unless he admits it. He took more than he was supposed to so why would he admit it, even if you could trace him.

I think a lot of cash machines have cameras these days. You could ask the police to request an image from the bank/ cash machine owner.

 

Agreed.

 

What happened was wrong - but it will be hard to bring the cab driver to book.

 

I think the best advice therefore is to contact police and let them do their "stuff".

[benbramz]

I can't believe than anyone would be stupid enough, even under the influence, to give their card and pin to a complete stranger.

Is it April 1st again already.

Hey, thanks for your understanding and help there. Much appriciated... Obviously, you never make silly mistakes. If only i could live up to your standards.[/sarcasm]

 

Thanks to everyone else for their advice. I'm pretty sure its a lost cause anyway, and as sombody said - lesson learnt. heh..

[flyingdr]

Hey, thanks for your understanding and help there. Much appriciated... Obviously, you never make silly mistakes. If only i could live up to your standards.[/sarcasm]

 

Thanks to everyone else for their advice. I'm pretty sure its a lost cause anyway, and as sombody said - lesson learnt. heh..

 

 

I'm not religious but 'there but for the grace of god go I" Should that be a capital G in god?!

 

I wish I hadn't done silly things in the past.

 

All the best for your good an honourable intentions though

[loopinlouie]

Just checked taxis near me charge seventy pounds cleaning fee if sick in cab, pretty standard fee apparantly. Is it possible the fair was thirty and the fee seventy making one hundred. You said you were drunk after all.

 

Just an idea xx

 

ps, How about asking your friend to chip in for you helping him out xx

Edited May 31, 2010 by loopinlouie

[mightymouse_69]

Considering what Loopinlouie said, as long as you are sure that the driver took too much money, i would still make a complaint to the police.

 

No matter if you think that it will not yeild any results for you... it could just help stop it happening again to someone else.

 

All the best.

[loopinlouie]

Apparantly its so high as to cover the cost of obviously cleaning and loss of earnings. As peed I am that you got stuck with the predicamant, how much would we charge to clean our cars if smells of well you know, I bet it would cost a bit of time at least.

 

Sorry but I think next time your mate should stay on the fruit juice but you are obviously a nice friend, he needs a telling off, but thats your business, take care xx

[mightymouse_69]

A friend of mine is a policeman. They once had a drunk throw up in the back of the car.

 

Hottest summer in a while... the smell hung around for sometime apparently :S

[ScarletPimpernel]

Obviously, you never make silly mistakes.

 

But it wasn't a mistake - it was a consequence of ingesting more alcohol than you or your mate were able to cope with, leading to an inability to act sensibly and responsibly.

[mightymouse_69]

it was a consequence of ingesting more alcohol than you or your mate were able to deal with.

 

Which, arguably was a mistake!

 

Are we here to ponder upon the sillyness of the OPs actions?!

[loopinlouie]

A friend of mine is a policeman. They once had a drunk throw up in the back of the car.

 

Hottest summer in a while... the smell hung around for sometime apparently :S

 

:-D:-D

[loopinlouie]

I felt guilty the time I went to take a sample of my fish tank to the pet shop to get it tested for my new fishies. I couldnt find a lid and used masking tape to cover the top temporarily, went over road bump and it jumped out all over seat. Got out the cab after my clothes absorbed all the water and looked like I had peed myself.

 

Reassured taxi driver it was just water and apologised, but imagine the horror on the poor mans face.

 

The seat was only slightly wet and I tipped him well and as it was peeing it down outside I got away with it.

 

Then rather uncomfortably did a shop in tesco hoping the security guard did not think I was incontinent at that very moment, I was wearing jeans, ooohhhh xxxxx

[mightymouse_69]

Oh the perils of transporting fish and/or water samples!!

 

I ruined my dads old car with visits to and fro the local aqautics store.

 

It led to him purchasing me my own water test kit.. result!

[loopinlouie]

Same here got test kit now, as you will be aware couple of week old water with friendly bacteria, smells a bit suspcious :Dxx

 

Wouldnt mind but due to fits it does happen to me a lot and I normally hide it by being at home and the time in a taxi it was only water, but I thought everyone must think she has, well I would have wondered if I walked by, so funny glances were forgiven.

 

Thank heavens for tenna lady xx

[ScarletPimpernel]

Which, arguably was a mistake!

 

I feel sure that someone intelligent enough to qualify as a nurse is capable of understanding that drinking alcohol in sufficient quantity will lead to intoxication, so the purchase and consumption must have been deliberate. Failing to recognise when you've had enough could, I suppose, be considered an error of judgement.

 

Are we here to ponder upon the sillyness of the OPs actions?!

 

No pondering needed; the silliness of the actions is plain to see. We must consider it, though, since it is fundamental to the issue.

 

I see the aftermath of enough alcohol-related dramas to have lost all sympathy, I fear.

[silver123]

Get some different mates who don't leave you to deal with the guy on your own?