Woman fined $8K for evading taxi fares 15 times in 3 years

A 29-year-old woman was fined S$8,000 after continually evading taxi fares for three years. 

Each time, she would tell the driver that she needed to buy something urgently, only to leave and never return, reports Lianhe Wanbao via Lianhe Zaobao

The accused owed a total of S$871 to 15 different drivers and was handed the fine after being investigated by the Land Transport Authority (LTA). 

She was charged under the Public Transport Council Act.

It is revealed that the woman had between Jan 23, 2014 and Oct 20, 2016, evaded fares 15 times.

The amount for each trip range between S$23.30 to S$105.60.

In one instance which happened on Sep 17, 2016, the accused boarded a cab at Woodlands Street 42 and headed over to Tiong Bahru Plaza.

She then told the driver to wait for her near the shopping centre, and left.

She returned 15 minutes later and told the driver to bring her to Block 160,Yishun Street 11, Block 159, Serangoon Avenue 1 and Woodlands Street 42 respectively.

During the trip, she repeatedly changed her destination and before reaching Woodlands Street 42, claimed that she needed to buy something urgently, asking the driver to drop her off at Admiralty MRT Station.

She then left after asking the driver to wait for her at the station. 

At that point in time, her fares were S$105.60 and it was 9.55pm. 

Not long after she left, the accused called the driver, saying that she did not have the money to pay for her fares and that she would come up with the money within three days. 

She also wrote an email to the taxi company with the same promise. 

The taxi driver waited for two days before sending a SMS message with his bank details to the accused, but she did not reply.

The driver subsequently filed a complaint with LTA.