# MPLS. POLICE WARN ABOUT RIDESHARE GROPING INCIDENTS



## BurgerTiime (Jun 22, 2015)

http://www.kare11.com/mobile/articl...bout-rideshare-groping-incidents/89-478148625










Police warn about rideshare groping incidents:
*NEWS*
Minneapolis police are asking people using Uber and Lyft to use caution after a recent series of incidents involving drivers touching passengers inappropriately.
Author: Ivory Hecker

MINNEAPOLIS -- Minneapolis police are asking people using Uber and Lyft to use caution after a recent series of incidents involving drivers touching passengers inappropriately.

In the last two weeks, four different Uber and Lyft passengers called police saying they'd been sexually groped by their rideshare driver, according to Minneapolis police Sgt. Catherine Michal.

Three of the four people who were groped were sitting in the front seat at the time of the assault, said Michal.

Two of the gropings happened in Uptown, one was Downtown near Target Field, and the fourth incident was in southeast Minneapolis near the University of Minnesota, said Michal.

"The person that is getting the ride has either been intoxicated or has had alcohol in their system or has been distracted due to other things that are going on in their personal life," said Michal of the four recent incidents.

The victims include three women and a man, said Michal. Now police are trying to determine whether the cases involve the same suspect.

"The descriptions that have been given have been a black male, mid 20s, early 30s, and/or a Somali male," said Michal.

Police say if caught, the suspect will face criminal sexual conduct charges.

Police say they hope Uber and Lyft passengers will use a few safety precautions to prevent a similar incident.

"We appreciate that people aren't drinking and driving and that they're taking a ride, but if you're by yourself, we definitely recommend that you sit in the back seat, and if you're with other people, always stick together," said Michal.

Both Uber and Lyft put their drivers through a background check that includes a motor vehicle record review as well as a criminal background check. Drivers for both Uber and Lyft must have a criminal record that is free of felony, violent crime, or sexual offense within the last seven years.

To report a safety incident to Lyft, click here.

To report a safety incident to Uber, click here.

If you believe a crime has been committed during you rideshare experience call 911.


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## TimyTim (May 26, 2017)

Add this to the long list of never-ending Uber problems. And to think, this prob doesn't even make it a top concern at the moment.


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## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

A Somali Pirate !

( "look at me. I am the Uber Driver Now!")


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## TimyTim (May 26, 2017)

I saw a documentary on Somalia and how they were so displaced and came from such horror. Yes unfortunate but they also pointed out many used false documents or had none at all and were gang leaders.
Some were accused of killing thousands and even their own people.
No vetting process and then we gave them a place to live. Many moved to Minnesota and they even have an area called Somali Town.
Crime in Minneapolis shot through the roof.
Ice had to open an entire department right in Minneapolis to keep on eye on them. They've caught many funding ISIS. Even a boy that was on that bridge collapse was given $80k as part compensation and was caught funding Islamic Terror Groups.
Minneapolis has serious problems with them. Sad cause I know many are trying to do right and a few are ruining it for the entire group.
Yet it has to be addressed. They need a better vetting process. No doubt!



tohunt4me said:


> A Somali Pirate !
> 
> ( "look at me. I am the Uber Driver Now!")


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## Spotscat (May 8, 2017)

I'm not gonna name any names or point any fingers, but...

If something of this sort happens in San Diego in the next few weeks, I think it's pretty obvious who the culprit is.


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## TwoFiddyMile (Mar 13, 2015)

Hes just friendly. Very hands on. A touchy feely guy.


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## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

TwoFiddyMile said:


> Hes just friendly. Very hands on. A touchy feely guy.


He was from a Cannibal Warlord Tribe.

Just their " custom".

Checking to see if she was RIPE !

We need more Immigrants !


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## JimKE (Oct 28, 2016)

Given their recent history, it would seem that the Minneapolis Police Department would have more pressing issues on their plate.


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## TwoFiddyMile (Mar 13, 2015)

Just trying to feel my way through this issue.
Can't quite get my hands on it.
It's a touchy situation.


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## Lowestformofwit (Sep 2, 2016)

TwoFiddyMile said:


> Just trying to feel my way through this issue.
> Can't quite get my hands on it.
> It's a touchy situation.


Sounds like it will end up being a real handful for you.
But hopefully you'll be on top of it soon.


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## TwoFiddyMile (Mar 13, 2015)

Lowestformofwit said:


> Sounds like it will end up being a real handful for you.
> But hopefully you'll be on top of it soon.


I've got a real feel for this. I can almost put my finger on it...


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## BurgerTiime (Jun 22, 2015)

This is a real touchy-feely topic guys. I suggest keeping your distance with a 10 inch pole.


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## PTUber (Sep 16, 2015)

Wouldn't it be pretty easy to find out who they are by contacting Lyft and Uber? They know the PAX so they can trace the driver to the trip.


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## NUBER-LE (Jul 21, 2017)

Had a guy try to offer me sexual services, he tried to touch my leg I was like WTF GTFO of my car. Reported him to UBER, working the gay clubs is rough


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## Sloven1 (Jan 20, 2017)

Getting groped at Uber prices. That's what I call a Cheap Trick.

Yes, I'm old.


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## rideshareMN (Jan 25, 2017)

PTUber said:


> Wouldn't it be pretty easy to find out who they are by contacting Lyft and Uber? They know the PAX so they can trace the driver to the trip.


this...makes me wonder if this was even a real story or fake news


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## NHDriver (Aug 6, 2017)

I keep hoping to get groped by a pax. No luck so far.. any groping has been self inflicted while waiting for a ping that never comes during surge!


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## SuzeCB (Oct 30, 2016)

PTUber said:


> Wouldn't it be pretty easy to find out who they are by contacting Lyft and Uber? They know the PAX so they can trace the driver to the trip.


Don't even have to contact Uber. The license plate number is on the pax's receipt. Police can run a license plate and find out an identity. All they have to do is compare the license plate numbers to find out if it's the same person.

It sounds to me as if there are a few pax's out there trying to get free rides, and maybe some extra money on the side.


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## NHDriver (Aug 6, 2017)

SuzeCB said:


> Don't even have to contact Uber. The license plate number is on the pax's receipt. Police can run a license plate and find out an identity. All they have to do is compare the license plate numbers to find out if it's the same person.
> 
> It sounds to me as if there are a few pax's out there trying to get free rides, and maybe some extra money on the side.


dash cam, dash cam, dash cam, dash cam. Did I leave anything out?


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## TNCMinWage (May 18, 2017)

Spotscat said:


> I'm not gonna name any names or point any fingers, but...
> 
> If something of this sort happens in San Diego in the next few weeks, I think it's pretty obvious who the culprit is.


I got that one...!


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## 68350 (May 24, 2017)

Yeah, this doesn't add up. It's so easy for Uber/Lyft and the police dept to ID a driver and track them down.


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## BurgerTiime (Jun 22, 2015)

rideshareMN said:


> this...makes me wonder if this was even a real story or fake news


Different news article: 
http://www.citypages.com/news/passe...oping-incidents-by-rideshare-driver/447492373


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## SuzeCB (Oct 30, 2016)

Nats121 said:


> Good point. When a pax falsely accuses a driver of being drunk or driving recklessly, Uber and Lyft waste no time in going after the accused driver.




They have to, by law, do what they can to get the driver off the road, at least as it regards them as quickly as possible. The problem is that they are supposed to do an investigation, but they really don't. They make a phone call a day or two later, and adopt a policy that if there are two complaints, even unsubstantiated, permanent deactivation will follow.

This level of Investigation is not an investigation. It doesn't qualify as such. The state doesn't even recognize it. Uber merely goes through a show of an investigation, and the reports of any investigation are never seen by anyone. There are lawyers all over New Jersey chomping at the bit to find drivers who are permanently deactivated for specifically these complaints who were not proved to be intoxicated at the time the complaint was made. They want to go after the pax for defamation and slander, and after Uber for improperly deactivating the driver without conducting a proper investigation.

So what would constitute a proper investigation? FIrst of all you have to look at when the complaint is made. If the complaint is made while the pax is in the car, or immediately following the drop off, Uber should be immediately notifying the driver that they are offline, and where to proceed to get a breathalyzer and perhaps a field sobriety test administered. This can even be at our expense (which can be recouped by suing the pax later). This is the only viable way of investigating a claim of inebriation. That's it. Anything else is BS.

If the pax truly thought we were under the influence, they would be calling the police, not Uber. Would you stay in a car with a driver who was clearly intoxicated? I wouldn't. I would cancel the ride immediately, and once out of the vehicle call 911 with the information for the police, and then I would call Uber about it. No history of a police call, no complaint. And that's what Uber should be stressing to the paxes... that if they truly feel that a driver may be intoxicated, the first Contact made should be to the police so that that driver can be taken off the road, not just off the platform. That is assuming that Uber's first concern actually is safety, of course.

An intoxicated driver on the road is an emergency situation. It needs to be addressed by emergency personnel in a proper fashion. The packs could even do this anonymously, at least for a short time, until either the driver or the police took the proper steps to get the passengers identity, should the claim prove to be false. Also, having this be the set procedure would eliminate the whole idea of to unsubstantiated claims being enough to have us deactivated from the platform permanently. There would be police reports and records of the sobriety tests administered to support the fact that these were fraudulent claims to begin with.

I guarantee that following such a procedure would a) be the actual, proper, way of doing things; and b) cut down on some of the BS claims that passengers make that threatened our ability to make any money. It's a nickel-and-dime business as it is.


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## Disgusted Driver (Jan 9, 2015)

Spotscat said:


> I'm not gonna name any names or point any fingers, but...
> 
> If something of this sort happens in San Diego in the next few weeks, I think it's pretty obvious who the culprit is.


I like what you did there but he's more likely to talk them to sleep.

So, what I'm getting from this story is one perp is running around groping people, lets bring them in and move on with life. Crazier stuff happens every day of the week, twice on Sunday.


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## Kodyhead (May 26, 2015)

PTUber said:


> Wouldn't it be pretty easy to find out who they are by contacting Lyft and Uber? They know the PAX so they can trace the driver to the trip.


Yeah I am sure Rohit will be happy to help the police, and assist them in reinstalling the Uber app on their phone.


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## PTUber (Sep 16, 2015)

TimyTim said:


> I saw a documentary on Somalia and how they were so displaced and came from such horror. Yes unfortunate but they also pointed out many used false documents or had none at all and were gang leaders.
> Some were accused of killing thousands and even their own people.
> No vetting process and then we gave them a place to live. Many moved to Minnesota and they even have an area called Somali Town.
> Crime in Minneapolis shot through the roof.
> ...


We have the highest Somali population in the US. Funny we also had the highest Hmong population back in the day as well. That's what you get in a state as liberal as ours. Come here we are a welfare state!


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## Tysmith95 (Jan 30, 2017)

If I had to guess it's a dumbasses who get into random cars without checking the licence plate.


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## BurgerTiime (Jun 22, 2015)

Tysmith95 said:


> If I had to guess it's a dumbasses who get into random cars without checking the licence plate.


It's also too easy for anyone to print or obtain an Uber decal and simply paste it on their vehicle. Taxis and limo must have city and or state issued permits clearly visible. Not easy to fake and if caught face huge fines and penalties. I see cities issuing windshields permits soon. They need to for public safety.


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## Tysmith95 (Jan 30, 2017)

BurgerTiime said:


> It's also too easy for anyone to print or obtain an Uber decal and simply paste it on their vehicle. Taxis and limo must have city and or state issued permits clearly visible. Not easy to fake and if caught face huge fines and penalties. I see cities issuing windshields permits soon. They need to for public safety.


The app gives a picture and licence plate number.


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## Nats121 (Jul 19, 2017)

PTUber said:


> We have the highest Somali population in the US. Funny we also had the highest Hmong population back in the day as well. That's what you get in a state as liberal as ours. Come here we are a welfare state!





SuzeCB said:


> They have to, by law, do what they can to get the driver off the road, at least as it regards them as quickly as possible. The problem is that they are supposed to do an investigation, but they really don't. They make a phone call a day or two later, and adopt a policy that if there are two complaints, even unsubstantiated, permanent deactivation will follow.
> 
> This level of Investigation is not an investigation. It doesn't qualify as such. The state doesn't even recognize it. Uber merely goes through a show of an investigation, and the reports of any investigation are never seen by anyone. There are lawyers all over New Jersey chomping at the bit to find drivers who are permanently deactivated for specifically these complaints who were not proved to be intoxicated at the time the complaint was made. They want to go after the pax for defamation and slander, and after Uber for improperly deactivating the driver without conducting a proper investigation.
> 
> ...


Actually, my point was why do the police have to determine anything, Uber knows who the driver is.


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## BurgerTiime (Jun 22, 2015)

Tysmith95 said:


> The app gives a picture and licence plate number.


It doesn't stop drunks from getting into a white Prius with an Uber decal (very common). Drunks don't pay any attention to lic plates. I see plenty of vehicles on the road that are clearly not on the platform. Many with out of state plates that are not allowed. Now I'm seeing cars with major body damage.
There are fake Uber drivers taking street hails. I see it with my own two eyes every weekend! Many look like old towncar drivers that lost their ability to do Uber Black. There's practically no enforcement here. 
Drivers are constantly driving in restricted bus lanes and parked in taxi spots too. I never see any enforcement at all. It's a joke. And when it's a joke, the public is at risk for crap like this to happen. It's funny cause most of the legit drivers don't put on the decals and the illegal ones fake it.


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## TimyTim (May 26, 2017)

Let's put it this way, I've had a ton of wrong people get into my car. People don't check plates. Especially at night when there's traffic and bars closing.


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