Police: Uber Driver Drops Riders At Airport & Returns To Burglarize Their Home
RANCHO CORDOVA (CBS13) – An Uber driver was arrested after he dropped riders off at the airport and then allegedly tried to burglarize their home.
Police say Jackie Gordon Wilson caught on Ring surveillance video picking up people's personal property instead of passengers from a home in San Mateo.
The couple who lives there did not want to be identified.
"Thinking twice about taking ride shares, everyone should," the homeowner said.
Police say Wilson dropped the couple off at SFO and an hour later returned to their home, but an alarm sounded and Wilson moved to another house where police say he ransacked it for hours.
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Turns out Wilson was far from his own home in Rancho Cordova.
Police served a search warrant and found more property that led them to believe there are more victims.
Now investigators are asking people who may have ridden in Wilson's Uber and had also been burglarized from Sacramento to the Bay Area to speak up.
"If this particular circumstance applies to you, please call the sheriff's office," said Deputy Rod Grassman with the Sacramento County Sheriff's Department.
So how can you protect yourself? For starters, don't request Uber from your actual house, catch it down the street.
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"When you're in the car, don't be talking about who is still left at home, how long you're going to be gone," Grassman said.
Wilson's neighbors say he's been an Uber driver for more than a year and are shocked.
"Wow, that's putting a lot of trust in somebody's hands. I would never think of that, that's crazy," said Misty Ruiz.
Police say rideshare drivers don't have as much government safety oversight when it comes to background checks like cab drivers.
"I didn't realize that giving that information and having those conversations put you in a vulnerable position, it's definitely something I'll be thinking about for sure," she said.
Local law enforcement is working with Uber to track Wilson's routes to see if any other crimes have been committed in our area.