Man Refuses to Pay for $12 Cab While Carrying $5K

Paging Mr. Scrooge
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted May 9, 2012 1:42 PM CDT
Man Refuses to Pay for $12 Cab While Carrying $5K
He just wanted cheap cigarettes.   (Flickr)

A New York man who refused to pay a $12 taxi fare apparently could have afforded the bill: He was carrying more than $5,000 at the time, say Syracuse police. Making the story even better, the cabbie was driving him around on a quest for ... cheap cigarettes. The 68-year-old man had the driver take him to two stores on Monday. Each time he came out empty-handed, saying the price of cigarettes was too high.

When the man had the cabbie take him to a third store, the driver asked for the $12.40 fare. The passenger refused to pay and told the cabbie to call police over the issue. The man became uncooperative, according to the arrest report, and police handcuffed him and searched his pockets, finding more than $5,000 in cash. The man is now charged with theft of services. (More weird crimes stories.)

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