Taxi driver arrested, charged for ‘stealing $3K’ from Iranian dentist

MANILA — A taxi driver was arrested and charged for stealing $3,000 dollars from an Iranian dentist and hiding the money in a car wash’s roof and his vehicle’s headrest, the Manila Police District said on Sunday.

Richard Jarci Cabornida of the Beehive Taxi in Manila was slapped with a theft charge at the City Prosecutor’s Office and is currently detained at MPD general assignment section (MPD-GAS).

Documents obtained by Philippine Daily Inquirer showed that Ziba Yaghoubi, 34, boarded his taxi, with plate number UVN 985, from Concepcion Aguila Street in Mendiola on March 29. She withdrew $6,000 dollars from a bank before asking Carbonida to take her to Quezon City.

Yaghoubi got off the car but left her bag containing her passport and money. She sought assistance from the Quezon City police, who helped her locate Carbonida’s office.

On March 31, Yaghoubi went to the Manila Police District to ask them for help in recovering the money. A follow-up operation led by SPO2s James Poso and Ronald Gallo led cops to Carbonida’s house in Parañaque.

Carbonida was brought to the MPD-GAS, where he told its head, Chief Insp. Arsenio Riparip, that he only “found” $2,500. This prompted Poso and Bianes to search his vehicles and the carwash shop, where he has been staying.

During the search, the cops separately found 17 pieces of $100 in the car wash’s ceiling, and another 19 pieces of $100 in the vehicle’s headrest. A case of theft was filed against him on April 2.  –Aie Balagtas See, SFM