TERROR TIMES


BIRMINGHAM CABBIES UNDER SIEGE FROM THUGS THROWING BRICKS FROM BRIDGE


Cabbies are living in fear after a spate of attacks involving bricks being hurled at their vehicles from a bridge near KFC in Chelmsley Wood, Birmingham at night. At least 14 cars have been dam- aged since June leaving drivers petrified as well as losing money as they wait for repairs. Stacey Jagger of Take Me Taxi revealed that the number of drivers willing to work night shifts has plummeted from 15 to just 3 Ms Jagger said: “They are scared their vehicles will be attacked, or that they will get attacked if they


pull over to check. “I have spoken many times to the police and requested an increase in patrols which they said would happen but drivers haven’t seen it.” Qamar Hussain, who had his back window smashed by a brick, said: “I’m terrified. They threw a brick from the bridge and it hit the back window and smashed it. My friend got attacked at the same spot. “I called the police, they didn’t send anyone. There was glass everywhere. It cost £250 in repairs and I lost a day’s earnings.” Mohammed Younis, from Take Me


Taxi, had a brick hit his windscreen while carrying passengers. He said: “I was shocked and frightened. The passengers were scared too. It’s going to cost £400 to repair and it’s a rental car.” A Local Radio Cars driver, Farooq Hussain, had a bottle thrown at his car. He said: “The windscreen was smashed, I was shaken up. It cost me £100 for the excess and I was quoted £600 to replace it because it is a hybrid electric and it has to be recalibrated. “It took me two days to get it repaired so I lost earnings. It’s pure luck I wasn’t injured.”


TWO CABBIES TARGETED IN ABERYSTWYTH ASSAULTS WITHIN 10 DAYS


Two cabbies have been assaulted in Aberystwyth within 10 days. The first incident occurred on 2 August, when a 7s Taxis driver was attacked after refusing to drive to Shrewsbury from Aberystwyth. The driver suffered injuries to the face, head, and thumb. Two men were arrested but have been released on bail. The second incident took place on 11 August, when Richard Emyr Jones was assaulted after a fare


dodger refused to pay a £30 trip from Aberystwyth station to Borth. After arriving at the destination at 12.30am the passenger forced his fingers into Jones’ mouth before punching him and running off. Mr Jones, who drives for Ows Cabs, was left with a black eye and broken glasses. He said this was his first physical assault in 26 years. Despite reporting the assault to the police, no one attended the scene and the case was closed


CABBIE IN HOSPITAL AFTER ATTACK IN STOKE-ON-TRENT


A taxi driver is recovering after being assaulted in his cab on 11 August. The attack happened at 12.45pm on Etruria Vale Road in Stoke-on-Trent, when the victim


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was punched in the face by one of two passengers. Both suspects fled the scene on foot. The cabbie was taken to hospital with a suspected broken nose.


after no witnesses were found, no CCTV footage at the station and there was no CCTV in Emyr’s car. Emyr spent hours calling 101 to give a statement, but no one picked up the phone. The police said the case can be reopened if new information is available. Mr Jones is also frustrated with Ceredigion County Council’s policy prohibiting cabbies installing CCTV or dash-cams in their vehicles and urged the council to reconsider. He said: “I’ve been let down by the police - with no footage, it’s my word against theirs.” A council spokesperson said they couldn’t comment on individual cases but that “there is nothing contained in our licensing policy which prevents vehicle proprietors installing CCTV in their vehicles, if it meets guidance set by the information commissioner’s office”.


SEPTEMBER 2024 PHTM


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