CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- The Chicago City Council is poised to come down hard on people who pretend to be rideshare drivers in order to commit other crimes.It’s a growing problem, Ald. Brendan Reilly told his council colleagues: Criminals see people waiting for a ride-hailing service to pick them up and pretend to be that car.
In some cases, Reilly said Thursday, the passengers are intoxicated and not as careful as they should be. He said there have been at least four rapes and a number of robberies or other attacks.The ordinance approved by the Council’s Public Safety Committee would impose a fine of between $10,000 and $20,000 and a sentence of up to six months in jail for the impersonation alone. This would be in addition to whether punishment is given for the other crimes.The measure goes on to the full Chicago City Council this month.