Breakthrough in Uber rape and robbery cases

WOW! Bad news for uber users.

Still doesn't explain how criminals were hiding in a legitimate Uber vehicle?
 
So the former Uber employee convinced the current employee (driver) to get involved by allowing him to hide in the car boot?
 
Must make a example of these guys. If 12 years for a stolen phone then these guys should get Life.
 
Sinbad said:
With the assistance of the driver.
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This is what doesn't make sense. If indeed it was a legitimate Uber car then the driver must have known there were 2 guys hiding in the back. But why would the driver be involved in something like this? You pretty much only have one chance to pull something like this off, and the chances of being caught are incredibly high. So why would the driver have risked everything for such a crazy crime? There must be more to the story.
 
deweyzeph said:
This is what doesn't make sense. If indeed it was a legitimate Uber car then the driver must have known there were 2 guys hiding in the back. But why would the driver be involved in something like this? You pretty much only have one chance to pull something like this off, and the chances of being caught are incredibly high. So why would the driver have risked everything for such a crazy crime? There must be more to the story.
Click to expand...

I completely agree. Really would like more details from the police/Uber here. My wife and I use Uber often, because we feel it's much safer than drunk driving and because we really don't trust the police on our roads anymore, especially at night. But if "former" employees can still willy nilly use the system, or current drivers are in cahoots with criminals then it's better to take your chances with the metro cops and carjackers.

It's sad for me, really, because I think Uber is an amazing business model and works wonderfully here in S.A. Most of the Uber drivers we've driven with are really friendly, hard-working people who are also just trying to carve out a place in the country. They've even gone out of their way to return keys to us, driving from Jhb back to Pta again without any plan or commitment of fees from our side.
 
Uber Statement on Johannesburg:

First and foremost our thoughts continue to be with the riders and their families, with whom we’ve been in contact from the start. We are grateful to police for their work to bring these two individuals to justice, one who was a former driver-partner.

This individual’s arrest is the result of an investigation involving close collaboration between Uber and local law enforcement. Because of the ongoing police investigation, we are limited in what we can say.

Prior to this individual’s deactivation and arrest, he held a valid Professional Driver’s Permit and he cleared all background checks - there was no evidence of a prior criminal record. Driver-partners wanting to use the Uber app must undergo a pre-screening process, which includes a criminal background check, before their driver profile is activated.

At no time leading up to the attacks was the suspect's profile matched to provide Uber rides to any of the victims. As soon as there was any suspicion he may be involved in the incidents, as a precaution, his account and access to the platform was blocked. When we identified the suspect after an internal investigation, we notified the police immediately. It is our standard practice to immediately suspend any individual who may be involved in suspicious activity pending further internal and/or police investigation.

If there is any consolation after these terrible crimes it is that our technology, which includes the tracking and recording of every minute and meter taken using Uber, was useful in part of the evidence which led to this arrest.

We have a dedicated incident response team, GPS-tracking and many other technology advances to improve safety before, during and after the ride. It’s important to remember the following tips to use Uber safely:

  • Please remember to always check and confirm all driver and vehicle details before getting into a vehicle, even if the driver claims to be your Uber ride.
  • Riders should also make use of the technology in the app that allows them to share their driver and vehicle details and their estimated time of arrival with a family or friend.
  • Law enforcement should always be the first point of contact in the event of an incident.
 
I'm wondering why it took so long!
 
The driver must have been genuine. After this crime he was fired and now Uber refer to him as a former employee.

The way the article reads he had been fired prior to this incident.
 
DeVilSA said:
I completely agree. Really would like more details from the police/Uber here. My wife and I use Uber often, because we feel it's much safer than drunk driving and because we really don't trust the police on our roads anymore, especially at night. But if "former" employees can still willy nilly use the system, or current drivers are in cahoots with criminals then it's better to take your chances with the metro cops and carjackers.

It's sad for me, really, because I think Uber is an amazing business model and works wonderfully here in S.A. Most of the Uber drivers we've driven with are really friendly, hard-working people who are also just trying to carve out a place in the country. They've even gone out of their way to return keys to us, driving from Jhb back to Pta again without any plan or commitment of fees from our side.
Click to expand...
Lucky you. I had to pay for return of a phone of visitors.
 
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