BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — Mayor Marty Walsh said people going out in Boston should "be careful," and advised that they "don't just randomly jump into a car" after a night out.
Mayor Walsh's comments came hours after a woman reported escaping from the back of a car after the man she thought was her rideshare driver took her 30 minutes away from her intended destination.
"I talked to the [Boston Police] Commissioner today, it's under investigation right now," Mayor Walsh said, "We're just asking people right now when they go out at night, be careful. We've heard many cases in the past of women getting into SUV's assuming they're their Lyft or Uber drivers, and they turn out not to be."
Boston Police responded to a call from the woman's boyfriend shortly after 3 a.m Sunday. The woman told investigators she had left a bar near Faneuil Hall at around 1 a.m., and she had called a Lyft, but her phone died before the car arrived.
(Getty Images)
The woman said a group of men pointed to a car and told her it was her driver, so she got in the back seat. She said she soon realized she was nowhere near her home, and when the driver pulled over at a gas station 30 minutes into the trip, another man approached the car and told her to stay inside.
The woman told investigators she kicked the car door open and ran away, flagging down another driver who took her back home to Allston, which is when her boyfriend called 911.
Mayor Walsh said after that report, anyone who orders a rideshare needs to be sure they are getting into the correct vehicle.
"Those apps have pictures on them," Mayor Walsh said. "So you should be looking to see the driver matches the app, the car matches the app... be careful with that."
Boston Police Sergeant John Boyle confirms the department is still investigating the alleged kidnapping.
Listen to Mayor Marty Walsh here:
Follow WBZ NewsRadio: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | iHeartmedia App