A Boca Raton man allegedly scammed a taxi driver and got a free ride to jail

BY: 24/7 CRIMINAL DESK | BocaNewsNow.com

BOCA RATON, Fla. (BocaNewsNow.com) (Copyright © 2024 MetroDesk Media, LLC) – A Boca Raton man faces fraud charges after police say he jumped out of a taxi on Ocean Boulevard in Boca Raton to avoid paying $80 dollars for a taxi. The man, identified as Rodd Marcus, was arrested by Boca Raton police. BocaNewsNow.com obtained the arrest report – key sections are below:

“On 11/26/2024 I was dispatched to 4001 N Ocean Boulevard, Sea Ranch Club for taxi fare evasion. Upon arrival, I met with the victim, Metro Taxi driver Gerardo Vargas. Vargas was dispatched to collect the fare from Delray Medical Center located at 5352 Linton Boulevard. The call to Metro Taxi came from hospital staff. Vargas arrived at Delray Medical Center and was told to conduct a ticket from the hospital over the phone to 4001 N Ocean Boulevard, Boca Raton. and collect payment at that time. Upon arrival, Rodd (Vargas is known only as Rodd) told Vargas that his Mon lived here and that he would be back shortly with payment for the ticket. Rodd then jumped out of the taxi and fled. In a statement to MVR, Vargas waited 45 minutes for Rodd to return with $38.00 for the ticket, but Rodd never returned, so the final ticket price was $80.00. Security stated that they observed Rodd Marcus being violated by Officer K. Cohen on a surveillance camera yesterday morning. exit the garage (in his building in Mons) on the south side of the property. Marcus then left the property and headed west over the Spanish River Road bridge.

Eventually, the police received information about Marcus’ location. The officer found him and made an arrest, as documented in this section of the police report:

“I made contact with Marcus on the beach and asked him to sit on the bench. I read him the Miranda Rights from a pre-printed card. Marcus assured that he understood and began to speak. He explained that at approximately 02:00 he went to his apartment in Mons after being discharged from Delray Medical Center. I then told him that the hospital had called him a taxi and knew he had to have money to pay for the ticket. He stated that he gave the driver $30. I told him the fare was $80, which included the time it took him to leave the taxi after he announced he was going to his residence in Mons to get money to pay the fare. He then said I gave him $30 and admitted he did not pay the full amount of $80. I informed him that he was arrested for obtaining a vehicle with intent to defraud under Florida Statute 817.52(2). He was handcuffed, double locked, and Officer Bachar conducted a search. I was then transported to the Boca Raton Police Department for processing. After meeting all requirements, I transported him to the Palm Beach County Jail and turned him over to deputies.”

Rodd is being held on $5,000 bail, which is $4,920 more than the taxi fare he allegedly forgot to pay.