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Nottingham taxi driver takes passenger straight to police station after being handed fake £20 notes
A Nottingham taxi driver took decisive action after discovering a passenger was attempting to pay for his journey using counterfeit £20 notes, driving the suspect directly to Radford Road police station rather than his intended destination.
The incident occurred at approximately 11.30pm on Tuesday 13 October, after the passenger booked a taxi journey from Nottingham Road.
According to police, the passenger repeatedly changed his requested route during the journey, prompting the driver to question how he intended to pay the fare.
The passenger initially handed over a £20 note, but the driver immediately suspected it was counterfeit because of how the banknote felt in his hands.
When challenged about the money, the passenger reportedly produced further banknotes, which the driver also identified as fake.
Rather than continuing to the passenger’s requested destination, the taxi driver changed course and drove directly to Radford Road police station, where officers arrested the suspect.
The incident subsequently led police to execute a search warrant at the man’s home address. During the search, officers discovered a Rambo-style knife concealed beneath a mattress.
Police also recovered equipment associated with cannabis cultivation, although no additional counterfeit banknotes were found at the property.
A 23-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of using counterfeit currency and possessing an offensive weapon in a private place.
Neighbourhood Inspector Liz Gaskin, who covers the Radford area, praised the taxi driver’s actions and confirmed that the subsequent police investigation had resulted in the recovery of a dangerous weapon.
Inspector Gaskin said: “This was a fantastic piece of work by a Nottingham taxi driver.
“As soon as they noticed the man’s suspicious behaviour in the back of the vehicle and saw that the money was fake, they decided the end of his journey would be a night in our custody.
“We were of course happy to help and following a search of the individual’s property uncovered further concerning behaviour, which included taking a dangerous weapon out of circulation.”
