Mexican taxi driver rewarded for honesty

Mexico City, Jan 28 (IANS/EFE) A taxi driver was rewarded in Mexico after he returned a suitcase with money, airplane tickets and documents to an Italian family.

Local authorities and representatives of a hotel and restaurant organization in Mexico City rewarded Rafael Aguila Hernandez with a trip to the colonial city of Oaxaca and another to any beach destination in the country, as well as theatre tickets and a dinner at a restaurant in the capital.

The incident occurred last month, when an Italian family left their suitcase in Aguila’s cab. When he realised the suitcase was left behind by his customers, he returned to the place he had dropped the tourists off but was unable to locate them, Mexico City’s tourism secretary, Alejandro Rojas said.

He handed the “intact” suitcase over to his boss and later it was given to the Italian tourists who came to claim their belongings, the official said.

The cab driver said: “I feel happy and my conscience is at ease for having returned the suitcase. And I think I showed tourists that we can be honest in this city.”

Mexico City has a high crime rate, with increasing incidences of robberies and armed assaults.

–IANS/EFE