A B.C. man is claiming that a taxi driver kept his phone for a $100 ransom

Robert Morris was leaving a New Year’s Eve party with some friends. They called a Yellow Cab to take them from North Burnaby to East Vancouver around 1:30 a.m.

After arriving at his destination Morris noticed that he forgot his phone in the taxi. He called the driver with a friends phone.

When talking to Global News, Morris said, “We called him 30 seconds later and he said he was very busy, but if I gave him $100 he would drop my phone off,” he added, “I was disgusted. I was mind blown. I was like, are you joking me?”

Morris called around more 50 times without an answer.

The taxi driver was finished work at 6 a.m. and gave the phone to another driver. Yellow Cab Claimed that this was a common occurrence.

Morris was eventually able to get in touch with the second driver who he claimed asked for $100 as well.

Morris made sure he was filming the situation when he eventually met up with the second driver to get his phone. He said he could use the footage to expose the driver.

Carolyn Bauer, the Vancouver Taxi Association spokesperson, said she was unable to give a filmed interview because she did not have the time. She denied that either of the drivers asked Morris for $100 to deliver his phone.

Bauer added that Morris’s first driver had too many rides with other New Year’s Eve customers to deliver the phone. She also noted that the second driver said they could drop off the phone for a $20 minimum charge. The charge is company policy but Morris did not agree to the offer.

Morris called the policy “absolutely ridiculous.”

He also told Global News, “I don’t think anyone should ever do that. It’s not good customer service.”

When Morris requested an apology from Yellow Cab, they responded that they believe the drivers did not do anything wrong and they will be standing by them.