Fake Uber driver charged with rape

A Worcester man has been ordered held on $10,000 bail for allegedly pretending to be a rideshare driver and then raping a customer.

“This is a terrifying incident involving a woman who entered a vehicle with the full understanding that she was going to be delivered home in safety and a driver who took advantage of the victim and the situation,” Suffolk District Attorney Kevin Hayden said in a statement.

Qabel Najeeb, 29, was charged in Boston Municipal Court Monday with one count of rape. Should he post bail, he is ordered to wear a GPS-tracking ankle bracelet and abide by a curfew that keeps him off the streets from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. He is scheduled to return to court on Nov. 15.

The alleged victim met with Boston Police Saturday morning just before 5 on Border Street in Eastie, where she told them she was dropped off by a man she believed to be her Uber driver who had raped her somewhere among tall buildings near Storrow Drive, according to the Suffolk DA’s office.

Police used surveillance cameras in areas matching her story to identify a suspect blue Toyota Corolla and its driver, who they identified as Najeeb, who they arrested on Sunday.

The Suffolk DA’s office urges victims of any crime, including domestic or sexual violence, to call 911 to report their crime and also suggests the following resources for those needing help:

SafeLink, a domestic violence help line operating 24/7 throughout the state and offering services in English, Spanish and Portuguese, can be reached by calling 877-785-2020 or its TTY (teletypewriter) service for the deaf or hard of hearing at 870-521-2601; the website www.janedoe.org/findhelp; and The Network/ La Red, which specializes in helping those experiencing violence in a LGBTQ relationship.