Thugs steal family picture from Crawley cabbie
http://www.thisissussex.co.uk/crawley/n ... ticle.html
THREE men who called a taxi and then stole the driver's wallet -which contained his only picture of his dead mother - have been arrested.
Thugs lured the cabbie to Furnace Green then attacked him, injuring his face and stealing his wallet and keys.
Now taxi drivers have renewed calls for more to be done to protect them from such attacks.
Police say the victim picked three men up from an address in Furnace Green and told him to stop soon afterwards in Marion Road, adjacent to the pathway linking to Maidenbower.
They then assaulted him, taking a wallet containing various cards and £215 cash, and his keys.
The victim suffered facial injuries but asked not to be taken to hospital.
Three men were arrested at a house in Furnace Green and, after being interviewed, were released on police bail without charge pending further enquiries.
The photograph of the driver's mother has not been recovered.
John Fraser, a member of Crawley Licensed Cab Drivers Association, says drivers need better protection from attacks and robberies.
He said: "People are really worried about this. Courts need to take much stronger measures to punish people for this sort of thing.
"The courts would protect the pilot of an aircraft or a bus driver but taxi drivers are much more vulnerable and we get less protection.
"It's a dangerous job and we need all the help we can get."
Following appeals from drivers, Crawley Borough Council launched a grants scheme for security cameras, which pays £250 towards high-quality recording equipment.
Mr Fraser added: "It's a good scheme but the problem is these high grade systems cost more than £600 so not that many people took it up.
"Other people have put cheaper systems in without a grant."
Anyone with information about the last week's attack, which happened at around 4.20am on December 30, is asked to call police on 0845 6070999.
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