Watford taxi driver attacked and robbedA Watford taxi driver who was viciously attacked and robbed by three passengers has called for CCTV to be installed in the town’s cabs.
Shakeel Ahmed said he feared for his life as he was set upon in the early hours of Sunday as he dropped off three men he had picked up outside Oceana in Watford.
The assailants made off with over £700 worth of valuables and equipment including Mr Ahmed's satnav and watch.
The 31-year-old said the ordeal had left him shaken and fearful of going back to work.
“I feared for my life,” he said. “I have been back to work, but I was not happy. With every customer that sits behind you you are suspicious.
“When I leave the house I don’t know if I am going to come back.
“They would not do it if there was CCTV in the taxi and there would be more chance of them being caught as well.”
The Metropolitian Police is investigating the robbery, which happened in the Archway area of London around 3am on Sunday.
Officers said after Mr Ahmed had stopped in Merryweather Court, in Poynings Road, he was grabbed by one of them and beaten by another.
While he was being assaulted, police said a third suspect took his satnav and other items.
All three suspects then got out of the car and are believed to have run into Fell House.
Police carried out a search of the area but could find no trace of the suspects.
Mr Ahmed sustained a cut to his inner lip.
The suspects are described as three black men. Two of them were said to be aged between 23 and 25 and were both wearing black jackets.
The third suspect is described as wearing a white jacket.
Mr Ahmed’s call for CCTV was backed by the Watford Hackney Carriage Driver’s Association, which has been lobbying for cameras in cabs since last year.
The association has already had requests for Watford Borough Council to fund the scheme rejected.
Councillor Jan Brown, chairman of licensing at Watford Borough Council, said: “The council’s specific role is to license taxis. We don’t provide CCTV cameras to private businesses like taxis, in the same way that we don’t pay for CCTV cameras in shops, offices or homes, for example.”
However the association has been directed to the Safer Watford Partnership to apply for funding.
Shafiq Ahmed, the chairman of the Watford Hackney Carriage Drivers’ Association, said attacks on taxi drivers were increasing as they are easy to isolate and criminals know they have cash and expensive items like satnav on them.
He said: “More and more attacks are happening and some are lucky to be alive.
“No one should go to work knowing it could happen to them.”
Pilot taxi CCTV schemes have already been trialled in Southampton where the council introduced a license stating cabs had to have cameras installed.
The move has been opposed by privacy campaigners and some taxi firm owners.
Mr Ahmed added that if there was already CCTV on public transport such as trains and buses, he did not see there being a problem with it in taxis.
http://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/news/9 ... _for_CCTV/
Login
Register
FAQ
