Man arrested in McDonald’s drive-through in Pooraka after he allegedly assaulted taxi driver, stole cab
A man has been arrested in a popular McDonald’s drive-through after he allegedly hailed a taxi in Adelaide’s CBD before assaulting the driver and stealing the cab.
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An alleged thief has been arrested in a northern suburbs McDonald’s drive-through after police say he hailed a taxi, then allegedly assaulted the driver and stole the car in Adelaide’s CBD.
Police allege the main hailed the taxi just after 4am on Sunday on King William St in the city before asking the driver to take him to Hindley St.
The man, while in the taxi, allegedly punched the male driver and told him to get out. The driver was not injured.
Taxi Council SA president John Trainer described the allegations as concerning.
“If you do something like this, you will absolutely be caught,” Mr Trainer said, adding that cabs are required to have passenger-facing video and audio capture.
“But unfortunately, the sort of people who do these things don’t watch or read the news, so the message needs to get out wider to those who aren’t in the loop.”
Mr Trainer, a former cab driver and teacher who was later a state MP in the Bannon government, estimated that two to three cab carjackings are reported per year in South Australia.
“A lot of it is never reported because you lose time on the road dealing with police reports and court procedures,” Mr Trainer said.
“Sometimes cab drivers choose to put a bit of perspex glass between the front and back, but others don’t because it can be claustrophobic and it can get very hot.
“Ultimately, vulnerable people providing a frontline service, like cab drivers, like bus drivers, need our protection.”
The vehicle was tracked, via GPS, to Main North Rd where it stopped at McDonald’s in Pooraka.
Police along with Dog Operations PD Chaos went to the scene and found the vehicle, with the man, in the drive-through lane.
The 36-year-old Adelaide man was subsequently arrested and charged with property damage, assault and illegal use.
The man was refused bail and will appear in the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Monday.
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