Cops: Uber Driver Returned to Rob House After Drop-Off

A Uber driver in Denver was arrested—and "deactivated" by the company—yesterday after allegedly trying to break into the home of a woman he had just dropped off at the airport. Police say that while alleged would-be burglar Gerald Montgomery knew the woman would be out of town, he didn't know she had a roommate and he abandoned the attempted break-in and took off when the "homeowner observed his actions," reports Reuters, per the arrest warrant. Montgomery was identified after the victim sent a screenshot of her Uber receipt, including the driver's picture, to her roommate, who said the 51-year-old was the man she saw, 9News reports.

Uber says it deactivated the driver as soon as it learned of the incident, CBS reports, and refunded the passenger's fare. A spokesman says "UberX partners undergo full criminal and driving history background checks before they are allowed to drive on the platform," and screening includes "county, federal and multi-state checks." The Denver Post reports that Montgomery, who is being held on suspicion of attempted second-degree burglary, has no criminal record in Colorado. The incident "will make me think twice " about Uber, a frequent user tells the Post. She says that in the future, she plans to be more diligent about checking drivers' ratings. (In Chicago, Uber has added a "panic button" for riders.)