Car thief asks cop for a ride home!

MELBOURNE - Aussie cops nabbed a taxi thief after he asked detectives investigating the crime scene for a lift.

According to cops, the offender was one of two men who shared a fare from Lasseters Casino at Alice Springs about 4am Sunday, reports the Northern Territory News.

After one of the passengers got off the accused was driven to Spicer Cres - but he refused to pay the fare and demanded money from the driver.

When the driver tried to slip away, the thief, 26, jumped out and punched him in the face.

The driver escaped and hid in the bushes even as the thief sped off in the taxi.

However, he abandoned the taxi around the block, taking off with the car keys.

Soon the taxi driver called the police who set up a crime scene around the stolen car.

After some time when the crime scene guard was packing up, the thief reappeared asking for a ride home.

The officer noticed the man fitted the description of the offender given by the taxi driver.

The man was taken into custody and charged with robbery, stealing, unlawful use of a motor vehicle, failure to pay a taxi fare and driving unlicensed.

He has now been given bail and will appear before the Alice Springs Magistrates Court on July 6. (ANI)