Suspects arrested after robbery in unlicensed ride-share vehicle

April 28, 2025

Two people have been arrested after the female passenger in an unlicensed ride-sharing vehicle was held against her will and was the victim of a robbery and sexual assault

The Thunder Bay Police Service received a report that an adult female had arranged for a ride through a group chat just before 11 p.m. on Thursday, April 24. Upon entering the vehicle, the victim had been threatened with a weapon by another occupant. The victim was threatened to cooperate and surrender personal items of value, in addition to e-transferring funds.

 

After completing the transfer, the victim was able to exit the vehicle. A short time later, she attended the police station to report the incident.

 

Members of the Thunder Bay Police Service Break and Enter and Robbery (BEAR) Unit became involved in the investigation.

 

Investigative efforts led to two suspects being identified and arrested on Friday, April 25.

 

Safwaan MANSURI, 23, is charged with the following:

•             Robbery with a Firearm

•             Forcible Confinement

•             Uttering Threats to Cause Death

•             Disguise with Intent

•             Sexual Assault with a Weapon

 

Harsh JETHAVA, 21, is charged with the following:

•             Robbery with a Firearm

•             Forcible Confinement

•             Possession of Property Obtained by Crime

 

The accused have appeared in court and been remanded in custody with future appearance dates.

 

The Thunder Bay Police Service urges members of the public to be cautious about utilizing unlicensed ride-sharing services. If you believe you were the victim or witness of a similar incident, please contact investigators at (807) 684-1200. If you have information that could assist investigators and want to remain anonymous, please call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477, online at www.p3tips.com.

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February 2026

February 18, 2026
Online Reporting: freeing officers to focus on urgent incidents Since launching a new online reporting service last February, the Thunder Bay Police Service has become a national leader in the use of the technology. The reporting platform allows more types of non-emergency incidents to be reported online from anywhere, while making it easier for users to upload photos or videos as evidence. The system redirects thousands of calls away from frontline response, freeing officers to focus on urgent incidents. 677 online reports were submitted in January, 2026. “This is a good example of one of the many ways we enhance efficiency,” noted Chief Darcy Fleury. “The community has access to a convenient reporting tool, and officers can focus on priority responses.” People can use the online portal to report theft, vandalism, fraud, traffic violations, and missing identification. The platform also allows people to have links to specific report types sent directly to them by text message. Users receive a confirmation once the report has been submitted and can choose to receive updates on the status of their report. Daniyar Akhmedjanov, Co-founder of Rubicon - the online reporting platform – was recently in Thunder Bay to see how our team members have grown the system. “TBPS has built one of the most developed virtual/alternate response operations in the country – so we came to learn from the best (and bring those lessons back to other agencies),” he said.