A subway driver tells News 4 about a carjacking he experienced after seeing an FBI alert

ST. LOUIS COUNTY (KMOV) – News 4 warned rideshare drivers earlier this week about an increase in car thefts in East St. Louis.

But, it’s not just happening in the Metro East.

News 4 spoke with an Uber driver who wishes to remain anonymous out of concern for his safety.

He had been driving for Uber overnight until March, when he says the car was stolen. Around 11:30 p.m., he was abducted by a rider at an apartment complex off Dune Road in North St. Louis County.

“I was going to the back of the compound and when we were going back there, I felt the cold metal of the gun on the back of my head,” he says.

When he took the phone, his phone was also in the car, when his neighbor called the police.

Part of the FBI’s warning to rideshare drivers in East St. Louis earlier this week was that drivers are creating fake profiles to target riders.

He says that in his case the rider hacked another user’s account. So he asks people to be patient if they ask the riders to say their names.

“If they don’t want to open the door until you prove yourself, please don’t be offended,” she says.

The driver says that after this incident, he will not drive for a night.

“If I go on that stretch of Doon Road, I literally start shaking,” he says. “I need to go offline and leave that area.”

A driver we spoke to hopes that even more layers of security will be added to protect both drivers and riders.

“We risk our lives every time,” he says.

News 4 reached out to Uber for a response and received this statement, which says:

“Safety is Uber’s top priority. We’ve pioneered many safety features that are standard in the industry today, including an in-app emergency button, GPS tracking on every trip, and the ability for drivers to share their location in real-time with loved ones. Our work on safety never ends, and we are committed to helping create safer communities for everyone. “

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