Prague Taxi Driver Steals Passengers' Suitcase With $3.5 Million and Tries to Burn It All

Prague police have detained a 21-year-old taxi driver who stole a suitcase from his passengers containing $3.5 million in cash, along with a laptop and clothing. The incident took place in the early morning hours as a married couple were on their way to Václav Havel Airport to catch a flight for their holiday.

A Forgotten Suitcase and a Driver's Deception

According to Prague police spokesman Richard Grdina, the couple had booked a private car service to get to the airport. After getting out of the vehicle, they didn't immediately notice that one of their suitcases — containing a laptop, clothes, and a large sum of cash — had been left inside the car.

Once they realized it was missing, the couple called the driver right away to let him know about the forgotten luggage. He promised to turn around and bring the suitcase back, but never showed up. The couple then went to the police.

Arrest and Confession

Prague police, working alongside detectives, tracked down the young driver within just a few hours. When they searched his car, however, there was no suitcase to be found — the detained foreign national insisted there had never been anything in the vehicle.

But a few hours in a holding cell seemed to jog his memory: the man confessed to the theft and revealed where he had hidden the money. Forensic investigators later found the stolen laptop and clothing in a forest near Kladno — the driver had dumped the items in a pile and set them on fire.

The 21-year-old foreign national now faces theft charges. If convicted, he could face up to five years in prison.

Around Prague, based on reporting by novinky.cz