...TIMES SOUTHEND DRIVER ASSAULTED BY FARE DODGERS


A Southend taxi driver was attacked by three men who wouldn’t pay their fare.


According to the Southend Echo, the 43- year-old picked up the group at the taxi rank. They asked to be taken to the Carlton Avenue area of Westcliff,


just


past the junction with Westbourne Grove, but when the cab stopped


the driver was assault- ed.


All three ran off without paying, fleeing across the A127 into the Dol- phins estate.


All are white, stocky, aged 28 to 30, between 5ft 9in and 5ft 11in tall. One wore black jeans, a black hooded jumper with a white top underneath, and wore glasses.


Another wore a grey top and grey hoodie with white trainers. The other wore black jeans. Anyone with informa- tion about the incident, which happened short- ly before 2am on a recent Sunday, is asked to contact PC Louise Beaumont at Leigh police station on 0300 3334444.


NEWCASTLE CABBIE’S TERROR AT BLADE ATTACK


A cabbie is terrified to return to work after he was robbed at knife- point. Police are hunting the passenger who threat- ened the young driver with a blade before stealing his cash and phone.


The cabbie, who works in Newcastle city centre, picked up the man at Central Sta- tion just after midnight on Saturday 25 June and drove him to Park Terrace.


At around 12.15am, the passenger grabbed the driver around the neck and threatened him with a knife before taking his mobile and money and running off. The cabbie’s col- leagues said the attack had left their pal extremely shaken and worried about return- ing to work. Fazal Ahmed, from City Cabs, told the Newcastle upon Tyne Evening Chronicle: “This has made a lot of


drivers very, very nerv- ous. Everyone is on edge. This does’t hap- pen that much in Newcastle. It’s gener- ally a safe city to be a taxi driver, but we are looking into increasing safety measures.” The attacker is described as a white man in his 20s, around 5ft 7ins tall and of medium build. He was wearing a hooded top. Witnesses should call Northumbria Police on 03456 043043.


WEST SUSSEX CABBIE’S ATTACKERS HUNTED


A taxi driver was robbed by two men armed with a machete. The unsuspecting driver thought he was taking the men home, after picking them up from Three Bridges railway station. On the journey to West Green they told the victim they had no money on them to pay the fare.


One offered his mobile phone as a guarantee that they would pay what was owed, which the driver accepted. The driver took the pair to their destination, Quantock Close, where they got out of the car and disap- peared for a few minutes, promising to


return with the money. But they came back brandishing the mach- ete, and demanded the phone back.


They also asked for any money the man had on him, but fled having only stolen some of his keys. The attack took place on Sunday, May 8, but police have only just revealed what hap- pened. and they have released CCTV images of the attack- ers, in a bid to trace them.


The driver, who is believed to work inde- pendently rather than with one of the town’s main cab firms, picked up the men at around 4.05am.


AUGUST 2011 PHTM


Officers have carried out door-to-door inquiries in and around Quantock Close, but to no avail. DC Mike George of West Sussex CID told the Crawley News: “The men made off towards the under- pass at the end of Quantock Close which leads in the direction of Ifield Community College and comes out onto Ifield Drive.” Mr George added: “The taxi driver was left shaken but unhurt and no money was taken.”


Anyone who thinks they know who the men are should call police on 0845 6070999.


LUTON CABBIE ‘STABBED AND ROBBED’


A taxi driver was allegedly robbed at knifepoint by two female passengers in Bramingham Park on Friday 8 July.


According to the Luton News, police say the Tiger Cars driver had collected the women from Petersfield Gar- dens and at Sainsbury’s in Quantock Rise one woman got out of the


car to use the ATM before requesting to be taken back to Peters- field Gardens.


The driver refused unless the original journey was paid for and the woman then allegedly assaulted him before taking cash from his pockets and a mobile phone.


The victim was taken to hospital with a stab


wound to his back and cuts to his cheek and hand. Two Luton women appeared at the Magis- trates’ Court on charges relating to the incident. Charlene Newell, 26, was charged with GBH, robbery and posses- sion of Class C drugs. Charlene Owens, 34, was charged with GBH.


BRAINTREE DRIVER ATTACKED IN ROW OVER 70P


A taxi driver is consid- ering quitting his job after he was attacked by a passenger during a row over 70p.


Ramesh Krishnan, from Braintree, claims a passenger tried to strangle him after refusing to pay the full £5.70 fare.


Mr Krishnan says it is the third time since Jan- uary he has had trouble with a passenger. In May he was racially abused by two girls and, in January, a man refused to pay his fare or leave the cab. He told the Colchester Daily Gazette: “I feel


really shaken up by these incidents - I am only trying to make a living.”


John Ahmed, of Brain- tree Taxi Drivers’ Association, says the number of incidents is increasing.


Shegun Akndayini, a rank driver from Brain- tree, was left traumatised after he was mugged for his £100 takings earlier this year, while a 67- year-old taxi driver was attacked by a passen- ger for £55 in February. Caner Abdullah, a driver for one and a half years, said: “I


have had people jump out without paying, but have never reported it - it’s just not worth it. “I don’t work past 3am now - any later and people are too drunk.” Braintree district com- mander Chief Insp Nick Lee said: “I understand taxi drivers are in a very difficult position as they often are working alone late at night with people who may be drunk. “Nobody has yet con- tacted me about these cases, but I would be very happy to speak to Braintree Taxi Drivers’ Association.”


NEWPORT CABBIE IN KNIFE ROBBERY ORDEAL


A Newport taxi driver had a knife held to his throat in a terrifying robbery.


The 49-year-old, who does not want to be identified, was working for city firm Town Taxis at around 3.30am on Saturday 9 July when he picked up two men from Caxton Place in the city centre. They asked to be taken to Bettws, but when they reached Welland Cres- cent the men told him to stop the car.


The man in the pas- senger seat then put a knife to the taxi dri- ver’s jugular and demanded money, while the second man


restrained him from the back seat by hold- ing on to his jacket. The driver, who described the weapon as a thin knife, told his attackers where they could find cash in his jacket pocket. The two men took the money, which the driver said was his night’s takings of between £80 and £90, before running off. The driver suffered a small cut to his neck, but did not need med- ical treatment.


According to the South Wales Argus, one of the attackers is described as white, 22 to 25 years old, and between 5ft 7in and 5ft


8in tall. He was clean- shaven with short black hair, and wear- ing a light coloured jacket. The second man is described as 20 years old, with tanned to dark skin - possibly black or Asian. He was also 5ft 7in to 5ft 8in tall, with a skinny build, short black hair and clean- shaven. He was wearing a long- sleeved black shirt with a collar.


Both men spoke with a Welsh accent.


Anyone with informa- tion is asked to call police on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111


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