A UK couple, Marc Attreed and Rhiannon Roberts, were pulled over by police in Polk County, Florida, while riding in an Uber car. The couple, who were visiting Central Florida for their wedding at Universal Studios, were surprised when their Uber driver was stopped by law enforcement. The driver, identified as 27-year-old Elijah Mills, was driving a stolen vehicle, which was a rental car that he had stopped making payments for. Mills also had a suspended license.
Upon being surrounded by police officers with guns drawn, Attreed and Roberts complied with instructions and were later found to have no involvement in the stolen vehicle. Mills eventually surrendered without incident. The couple, who were initially billed $120 for the Uber ride, had the charges refunded after several days.
An Uber representative stated that the details of the incident were troubling and confirmed that the driver’s access to the platform had been removed. The company is currently investigating the matter.
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office emphasized the importance of returning rental vehicles promptly, as the stolen car had an anti-theft feature that prevented it from starting once reported stolen. Sheriff Grady Judd expressed concern that the car had been left running for three weeks, potentially leading to an unsuspecting buyer in the future.
