Taxi Driver Online

Not sure I understand the link here between the card theft and the names on badges/addresses in licensing register, unless he's just making a more general point about ID theft or whatever that has no real link to the actual case


Theft from taxi in Dundee sparks calls for driver data protection changes

https://www.eveningtelegraph.co.uk/fp/t ... n-changes/

A taxi owner who fell victim to theft has called for greater data protection measures to protect Dundee’s drivers.

Derek Nicoll, 40, made off with cabbie Graeme Munro’s bank cards in the early hours of September 25 after entering his unlocked taxi on Carolina Court.

Mr Munro, who unusually forgot to check his car locks that night, awoke to a text from Santander.

“The bank asked me if I had used my cards at 1.30am, 1.35am and 2.40am,” he said.

“The first time was at the petrol station on Allan Street and then at the Shell garage on Forfar Road.

“The stupid mistake he made was being caught on CCTV there.“

Graeme said it was easy to target taxis because licenced drivers’ details were registered and visible online.

Nicoll, of Atholl Street, pleaded guilty to entering the insecure vehicle and stealing bank cards, cash and a toy on September 25.

He also admitted inducing an employee of Shell, East Marketgait, to provide him with goods worth £9.30 and £11.30 respectively.

Prosecutor David Currie told Dundee Sheriff Court a number of contactless transactions were carried out but they were not carried out by the complainer.

“The witness believed the card was in his vehicle. He went out to his parked vehicle and there was obvious signs that somebody had been in the vehicle.

“His wallet was still there but the bank cards were missing.”

Defence solicitor Anika Jethwa said Nicoll, a man with previous convictions, had managed to stay out of trouble for the past seven years after moving to Manchester and working in the hospitality sector.

However, after losing his job and returning to Dundee last year, she said Nicoll had fallen back into drug misuse.

Sheriff Tom Hughes deferred sentence on Nicoll until November for reports and released him on bail.

Chris Elder, taxi secretary for Unite the Union, said: “We’ve had a spate of thefts from taxis in Dundee before, but not recently until this.”

Chris said it was essential for public safety that all taxi drivers were listed in the public domain, but driver safety also had to be considered.

He said: “The list could name drivers, but I don’t think their addresses should be on it.

“Likewise, drivers’ badges should have their ID number but not their name. A number would still make them identifiable.

“Options like this need to be looked at. Meanwhile, I’d advise drivers not to leave any valuables in their vehicles overnight.”

An odd way to put this, since they're both Shell garages. But they're two of the four(?) 24-hour filling stations still open in Dundee, which probably explains why they were used.


To further confuse matters, that's the one on Allan Street, which is a historic streetname, but East Marketgait is the more modern address.


I think Dundee used to have the plateholder's name and plate number on the front doors, but I think the name isn't required now, and just the plate number.

But the name still on the badges by the looks of it.

In Fife we used to have the plateholder's name and plate number on each front door as well, but they were removed completely and a window plate with the usual details added, but obviously no name.

But our badges still include our names, which obviously a lot of licensing councils don't require these days.

Not really sure it matters one bit what details are on the cab or not.

The card was contact less and the thief used it in that way.

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IDFIMH

Yes, and I wonder how the bank picked up on the unusual nature of the transactions?

I mean, for a taxi driver it doesn't seem that unusual to be using it at filling stations at night, although maybe he doesn't work nights:


Or maybe several transactions like that over an hour at 24-hour filling stations is an automatic flag for the banks? But for night owls, taxi drivers and revellers etc, wouldn't have thought it that unusual.

But I recall at least ten years ago when I'd barely used my card for years, used it one night for reasons I can't recall now, and my bank was soon on the phone asking if it was me

And, oddly enough, I'd just used it to buy fuel at the Forfar Road Shell station mentioned in the article

Our badges just show our badge number, our name is printed on the rear but you’d have to take it out of the ‘official’ holder to see it.

Why do any of our badges need our names on them?

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IDFIMH

when you walk into many shops or banks do they not wear ID's with a name on it ?

So customers know who they are dealing with!

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

Don't know about every shop and bank, but that seems a relic from the past - Woolies or Fine Fare c. 1980, say.

Can't think of any of the staff in the shops I regularly visit wearing name badges, or maybe I'm just not paying enough attention.

Anyway, pretty sure even back in the day it was just first names. It's surnames that are the more problematic thing as far as IDing someone is concerned.

And I wouldn't be surprised if shop staff stopped wearing name badges for the same reason as cab drivers.

They are dealing with a cab driver, if they really want to know the driver's name they merely have to ask.

But even if your 'shop' scenario had merit, which I don't believe it does, why would our surnames need to be on any of our badges?

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IDFIMH