Toronto detectives have told the National Post that a group of unknown taxi drivers is stealing riders debit cards and cleaning out their bank accounts. The author of the story, Jake  Edmiston, says the larceny has appeared at many banks with the TD alone reporting 65 claims. Complaints are occurring nearly daily, Edmiston reports The fraud relies on tired, busy or  perhaps intoxicated riders who do not pay enough attention to their business with taxi drivers.

DEBIT CARDS STOLEN

Debits cards are taken by the rogue cabbies and replaced with bogus plastic. Detectives say the ring has stolen dozens of bank cards from bleary, late-night riders and emptied their accounts over the past month. One rider complained that $720 was taken from her account after a taxi driver gave her back a card with a different name and number on it.  A bogus point-of-sale machine is employed to swipe data from a customer’s debit or credit card, then in a fast shuffle replaced with a fake card. Detective Beattie is said to believe there is a sophisticated back-end to this scheme with a number of people involved.

VIDEO EXISTS OF A CRIME

He told reporter Edmiston that there is video of a crime taking place. Police have it but are keeping it private for the moment.  Christine Hubbard of Beck Taxi said it is ludicrous to think the scam has anything to do with taxis vs. Uber. “You know what, there is risk when using any kind of payment device,” she said. In fact, it seems reasonable to conclude such dishonesty underlines the need for strict taxi and livery regulations. It is another example of criminal activity in a field — including Uber — that is susceptible to such behaviour.

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The exploits of Kim Jong UN-stable get crazier by the day. Now it is said he was prompted to set off (or try to) a Hydrogen Bomb because officials in China dissed his hand-picked girl band. The Chinese are furious but they look like fools for protecting North Korea for so long only to find their creepy nut-case client has turned on them.

Ward 16 Councillor Christin Carmichael Greb is inviting residents to a community meeting to receive feedback on the revised development proposal for 1912-1914 Avenue Rd. The corner building at Brooke Avenue would be demolished and replaced with a five-storey complex. The matter has been referred to the Ontario Municipal Board and a date of February 24, 2016 has been set for that.  In the meantime however, the Councillor’s meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, January 20, 2016 at 6.30 at Armour Heights Community Centre at 2140 Avenue Road. Ms. Carmichael Greb says the developer will make a  brief presentation which will be followed by questions and comments from the public. The development has been opposed by the South Armour Heights residents Association (SAHRA).

This thrilling picture of a Snowy Owl in flight has been captured by a Transport Quebec traffic camera along Montreal’s Highway 40. The image is a capture from a video in which the great bird can hardly be seen because of its speed. It was tweeted by employees at the highway department today (Thursday, January 7, 2015). The CBC quotes Barbara Frei, the director of the McGill Bird Observatory, that this young female was probably looking for a place to perch. The snowy owl is a large, white owl of the typical owl family. Snowy Owls are native to Arctic regions in North America and Eurasia. Younger snowy owls start with darker plumage, which turns lighter as they get old

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They’re showing a closing sign at Red Mulberry, the little health food store at the corner of Sutherland Drive and McRae Drive.

The former Tori and Cates Cupcakes storefront is still for lease. Updated 

An excellent story has appeared in the Beach Mirror by well-known local reporter Joanna Lavoie about a mysterious, pulsating hum that is said to be bothering some east-end residents. It has been named The Leslieville Hum and Ms. Lavoie’s extensive investigation has produced many first-hand accounts of its distracting impact on life in Leslieville, Riverdale and the Beach. No one seems to know where it comes from and the Councillors for Wards 30 and 32 say they have no idea where it originates.

Here is another little insight into life at the Toronto Zoo with this video released to the CBC showing a 2-month-old polar bear cub feeding. She does this six times a day.  At 2.8 kilograms she is quite  a lot of fun to watch.

The annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegan has not disappointed for 2016 — and certainly not in the  realm of things that make you wonder whether you need such creations. The combination clothes washer and drier (in one unit) will warn you somehow if you leave your phone in your clothes. We hate it when that happens. And what about the car that comes with a drone that permits you take a selfie at the wheel?  Ye gods and little fishes. Then there is HDR television. That would be High Dynamic Range. It is said to make television brighter and easier to view, cleaning up dark spots automatically sort of like a colour-adjusted photo.

For a few brief minutes around dinner time Wednesday police and residents were searching for the parents of a 6-year-old who was out on the street at Rolph Rd and Southvale Drive in his karate outfit and bare feet. It did not take long to find his home as police tweeted “all in order” from TPS Operations. Proving again that 6-year-old karate kids can usually find their way home.

There seems to be something for everybody in John Tory’s 2016 traffic congestion program. Along with a lengthy news release on what he is going to do, the mayor issued a map pinpointing what he and traffic planners call hotspot intersections. South Bayview is included courtesy of Mt. Pleasant Rd. and St Clair Ave E. Why it’s on the list of ten hotspot corners when others (like Victoria Park Ave and O’Connor Drive) are not, is unclear. One reason traffic backs up on St. Clair is because during the evening rush it is forbidden to enter Moore Park unless you live there. The people who do know how to sneak in and out down at Inglewood (or Kringlewood) Drive. But how one makes the corner better is anyone’s guess. The mayor has an easy way of speaking. The CBC quoted his honour as declaring that new traffic lights will produce “more green lights when the lights should be green and fewer red lights when the lights shouldn’t be red” Could be good. There is a dizzying amount of information in the City’s news release and much other information in the CBC report.