A taxi driver in central China played a crucial role in helping police apprehend a murder suspect who confessed to having “killed a person” after boarding the vehicle.
His quick thinking and composure garnered praise from both law enforcement and online observers.
The cab driver, surnamed Yin, from Wuhan in Hubei province, picked up a man in his 20s who hailed a taxi on the roadside on November 14.
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The passenger requested a ride covering 1,100km to Weifang in eastern Shandong province and agreed to a fare of 4,500 yuan (US$620). He prepaid 4,000 yuan and promised to pay the remainder upon arrival.
As per company policy for long-distance trips, Yin picked up another driver, surnamed Xia, to assist with the journey. After travelling 300km, the passenger urged them to hurry.
When Xia reminded the passenger about the need to drive safely, Yin recalled the man lowering his voice and saying: “I killed a person. I need to hurry back home to say goodbye to my family.”
Xia dismissed it as a joke, but Yin grew suspicious, noting the man’s worried expression and the fact that he was wearing a mask.
At that moment, Yin received a phone call from the police in Jingmen, another city in Hubei. They informed him that the passenger was a murder suspect and that they were tracking him and the taxi. The police asked Yin to cooperate and stall the suspect.
Yin quickly composed himself, pretending the call was random. He then suggested they stop at a charging station to charge the car, subtly signalling Xia to remain calm.
The police arrived while the car was “charging” and arrested the suspect.
On November 17, police travelled from Jingmen to Wuhan to present two pennant banners to Yin and Xia, along with a reward of 1,000 yuan (US$140) each for their bravery.
Social media users were astonished by the unusual encounter.
One commenter on Weibo remarked: “I thought it was a made-up story; I cannot believe it actually happened.”
Another praised the drivers’ extraordinary bravery, stating: “I would have ditched my car if I were them.”
A third user expressed admiration for the police’s ability to track down the taxi driver’s mobile number.
China is known for its extensive video surveillance network, Tianwang, or Skynet, which comprises more than 600 million cameras monitoring the entire nation.
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