A 54-year-old taxi driver was arrested in Taguig City after he allegedly stole a cellphone from a female passenger, police said.

According to Taguig Police Public Information Officer Capt. Erick Amodia, the suspect’s alleged modus operandi was to target passengers coming from bars and nightlife establishments and ask to borrow their phones under the pretense of using them for navigation.

“The suspect would insist on borrowing the victim’s cellphone to input and search for the location of her hotel. So that was the suspect’s modus,” Amodia said.

The victim, who is from a province, said she was unaware of such scams in Manila. She said she had just gotten into the taxi when the driver told her he didn’t know the location of her hotel.

“I searched for the hotel’s location, showed it to him, and he said, ‘Ma’am, can I hold the phone, let me see it,’ and he put the cellphone in the phone holder in the front,” the victim said.

“On the way, I said, ‘Brother, can I use the toilet on the way?’ He said, ‘Sure, ma’am, okay, there is one on the way.’ Then, right after I got out, he sped off in his taxi and took my cellphone,” she added.

The suspect stole the victim’s smartphone, valued at P50,000 and used her online banking account to take an additional P3,000.

Police were able to track down the suspect after the victim reported the incident.

“Our police helped and went around Bonifacio Global City to see if they could catch the suspect,” Amodia said. “Fortunately, the suspect stopped in an area in BGC where he was positively identified by the victim.”

Police also recovered an ice pick from the suspect, who has been previously jailed for the same offense in Manila. He denied the allegations and claimed he was just waiting for a passenger.

The victim said she was devastated by the loss of her phone, which she had for nearly four years. It contained all her contacts, photos and online banking information. She said she was able to close her bank account right away.

Taguig police advise the public, particularly those out late at night, to be vigilant.

“Our reminder is, especially for those who go out to clubs and end up staying until the early morning, not to drink too much,” Amodia said.

“At the same time, before you get in a taxi, you should get the plate number, the taxi’s body name, and at the same time, if there’s a chance, take a selfie inside. Don’t forget to tell your relatives what taxi you rode,” he added.

The suspect is being held at the Taguig Police Station and will face charges of theft and illegal possession of a deadly weapon.