Taxi driver forced to rob bank after his cab was hijacked

Police are hunting for the man who made a driver demand money from a Bank of Scotland cashier in Kirkcaldy

The taxi driver was forced to rob a bank in Kirkcaldy

A man who abducted a taxi driver and then forced him to rob a bank is being hunted by police.

The man was picked up by a taxi in Lochgelly, Fife, on Wednesday afternoon and made the driver take him to the Bank of Scotland on Mitchelston industrial estate, Kirkcaldy.

The driver was “forced to enter the bank and present a note to the staff demanding money”, Police Scotland said. A cashier handed over a four-figure sum to the driver but it was later recovered by police at the scene.

The would-be thief fled as emergency services were called, and the taxi driver was taken away by police officers while the area was searched.

Initial reports from the bank described how a possible explosive device was involved and nearby schools and shops were locked down while officers investigated the scene.

Bomb disposal teams scoured the area but later confirmed no explosives were involved in the incident, police said.

The man is described as 5ft 6in with a heavy build, and an Eastern European accent.

Press Association