Worried taxi drivers fear for the future after spate of attacks in Grimsby and Cleethorpes
TAXI drivers fear "someone will be killed" and some are too scared to work night shifts following a string of attacks by "customers".
Cabbies in Grimsby and Cleethorpes claim the number of robberies, thefts and attacks against them has risen over the past few months – making them too intimidated to work night shifts.
-
SPEAKING OUT: Taxi driver Trevor Blyth, who has been attacked once again while dropping passengers off. Picture: Rick Byrne
They claim knife attacks, robberies and thefts by customers are happening on a weekly basis.
However, because of the time taken to file complaints with police, many self-employed drivers say they feel it is "wasting time" they could be using to earn money.
Business Cards From Only £10.95 Delivered www.myprint-247.co.uk
View detailsOur heavyweight cards have FREE UV silk coating, FREE next day delivery & VAT included. Choose from 1000's of pre-designed templates or upload your own artwork. Orders dispatched within 24hrs.
Terms: Visit our site for more products: Business Cards, Compliment Slips, Letterheads, Leaflets, Postcards, Posters & much more. All items are free next day delivery. www.myprint-247.co.uk
Contact: 01858 468192
Valid until: Friday, May 31 2013
The drivers admit that officers will attend immediately if someone has been threatened with a knife, but have "lost faith" over the response to less serious incidents, as police are slow to respond and rarely catch the culprits.
The latest victim is Trevor Blyth, 52 – who, as reported, had his ear bitten off in a violent attack in a supermarket car park by thug Luke Donner last year.
Trevor returned back to work, but during a recent night shift he was smacked and pushed to the ground by two thugs who ran away from his cab without paying. Trevor – who has been left with a permanently disfigured ear – ran after the two men who jumped out of his taxi in Sherwood Road, Grimsby, but they attacked him when he caught up with them.
He said: "These thugs just think we are easy prey and it seems people are getting away with it. I didn't even bother calling the police.
"I don't want to get back into another taxi now but, at the same time, I don't want to let them push me around.
"I have got my family to think about and need an income to support them. I am more worried about picking people up and this has brought back what happened last year."
Another driver, who did not wish to be named but has spent 17 years in the job, said: "I was attacked two years ago on the Willows Estate as I dropped off two men. One strangled me and the other held a knife to my throat before robbing me of all my fares.
"I have CCTV in my cab and the front seats are sectioned off by a glass partition, which has made me feel a bit less edgy, but a lot of drivers don't have that and they are frightened.
"A lot of the customers are drunk or are on drugs and that can lead to violence too.
"I believe that someone will get killed before long. It is happening more and more and all it would take would be for one idiot to go too far.
"The situation is out of control and something needs to be done to stop it."
As reported, earlier this month, knife-welding robber, Chasey McIver, 24, was jailed for eight-and-a-half years after holding taxi drivers Linda Richardson and Brian Conway at knife-point while high on M-Cat.
Linda is back at work now, reportedly telling friends she "will not let it beat her".
However, Per Svendsen, owner of Revells Taxis in Grimsby, says many of his drivers no longer want to work night shifts or have quit all together.
And, despite having technology to identify known taxi-runners, the number of people dodging fares is still on the rise.
He said: "The number of attacks on taxi drivers and fare dodgers has increased massively over the past month.
"Nothing seems to stop them, they don't seem to care this is our livelihood. We are trying to earn a living and times are hard enough for us without having our customers stealing from us and attacking us.
I used to have 15 drivers every night. That is down to five now. There seems to be nothing we can do."
Humberside Police are urging taxi drivers to report crimes against them – no matter how "insignificant" they might seem.
A spokesman for the force said: "Humberside Police would encourage anyone who has been a victim of crime to report it to police.
"All crimes reported are investigated and information which has been given enables detectives to gather the appropriate evidence.
"Police often rely on members of the community to provide them with information, which can assist them with enquiries and bringing offenders to justice."
Comments
by steelfxr
Tuesday, July 31 2012, 5:34PM
“you need your cabs sorting because sadly at the moment your an easy target,your going to invite the man who will cause you harm and rob you into your car and then take him to a nice quiet out of the way place so he can do it.the cash up front would stop the runners and a partition sounds good the small firearms is a bit extreme,but a nice sized metal bar could come in handy.”
by meforpm
Tuesday, July 31 2012, 1:23PM
“simple solution: arm the taxi drivers. if the police arnt prepared to take these crimes seriously then let the drivers defend themselves. license them to carry small firearms....that will put off the fare dodgers and those that prey on the weak :)”
by TheWrangler
Tuesday, July 31 2012, 12:18PM
“Agreed, a couple of years ago I disturbed some youth using a car to effect a garage break in, they sped off, so I called the police who were not interested and did not have anyone to send out, but by the end of the conversation, I was being threatened with action if I did not report to the station the following day (a work day) as the incident involved a vehicle and needed a statement taking at the station!”
by porcelainblak
Monday, July 30 2012, 10:24PM
“Gry88 (who from previous posts we think is a copper's wife/parent/gay lover etc etc)
So Andrew_Bragga and Wozza161 are lying about their experiences are they? They're not the only ones to have little or no faith in the Police nowadays.
We reported a burglary IN PROGRESS down our street, and they might as well have asked us to put a uniform on and do the job for them! Not impressed . . .”
by freedom107
Monday, July 30 2012, 8:34PM
“Gry88 you jobless dole bum what i mean is the police do there job once we report stuff now get the local paper and look in it for a job”
by jack_knife
Monday, July 30 2012, 7:26PM
“I have commented on this forum and in viewpoint before each time taxi drivers are assaulted or robbed.
I've suggested doing what the taxi cabs have in America, New York in particular. They have either a tough plastic or wire mesh 'shield' between the passenger and the driver. Some have a small hole in which you pass your money, some have a small sliding panel.
All Yellow cabs in NY have a small orange disc fitted to the rear of the car which when activated, flashes, and when a member of the public sees this, they should then inform the police. If a police car sees this light flashing, he knows the driver needs assistance and will take appropriate action.
Of course, there are more police on foot and in cars there than here, but that seems to work quite well. What we need is more police, on foot and in cars.
Central locking might help too, perhaps with a notice saying something like, "Doors are LOCKED until payment is made. Sorry for any inconvenience."
I don't believe Wozza's comments about the police refusing to go into a pub on a Saturday night and then driving off.”
by gysamurai
Monday, July 30 2012, 7:21PM
“Chip n pin only ...no cash and pay upfront...or walk!!”
by Andrew_Braga
Monday, July 30 2012, 6:47PM
“MarmadukeJink, Monday, July 30 2012, 4:21PM said "Well obviously this spate of crime needs more consideration. It's ok having camera's in the car but then you have to consider children." I'm sorry I don't understand this comment. Every cab I have used in London and many other parts of the UK has a camera fitted. Although the taxis using saloon cars seem not to use this technology.
Gry88 Monday, July 30 2012, 3:22PM said "Oh look, once again this is the Police's fault :)" It, clearly, isn't the fault of anyone but the police and the courts for failing to ensure that the criminals are caught and punished in a way sufficient to stop them committing further offences. All the time that they know that they are unlikely to be given a severe enough punishment they will continue to offend. Deciding what is a sufficient punishment is open to debate, but current sentencing seems not to be working.
When lived in Cleethorpes two people tried to force their way into my flat. I called the police, who telephoned me forty five minutes later to ask if they were still there. If you consider the likelihood of not being caught, and, if you are caught, the light sentencing there is little to deter the criminal. This urgently needs revising.”
by MarmadukeJink
Monday, July 30 2012, 4:21PM
“Well obviously this spate of crime needs more consideration. It's ok having camera's in the car but then you have to consider children. Maybe some sort of emergency alarm button. I know the police cant be everywhere but if this alarm is triggered, it should be an immidiate response. I know it's not always as easy as that but the scum that are doing this, know full well they can do as they like. The only way this can be stopped is a zero tolerance approach. The police have to protect vulnerable taxi drivers and then the courts have to support the police.
No more ***** footing about around these animals that think they can do as they want.”
by Gry88
Monday, July 30 2012, 3:22PM
“Oh look, once again this is the Police's fault :)
Why don't you idiots grow up and look elsewhere for blame instead of blaming the Police because that's easy. HOW is it possibly the Police's fault? Explain @freedom107?”