Female taxi driver robbed at knifepoint in Lindsey Avenue, Acomb
A FEMALE taxi driver was robbed at knifepoint in York by two youths who used her own cab to make their escape.
Five men, all from the York area, have been arrested following the incident, which happened shortly before 3am yesterday in Lindsey Avenue, Acomb.
The victim, Tina Russell, an employee of York private hire firm 659 Taxis, was left stranded beside the roadside following the incident, which saw men snatch her mobile phone and cash before stealing her grey Volkswagen Passat.
The two men had posed as prospective customers and ordered a taxi from a phone box near the Pack of Cards pub.
But when Ms Russell, 48, collected the two men they climbed in the back of her taxi, brandished a knife and shouted “give me your money”. The men then dragged her out of the car before driving off. Tina, who has been left “very distressed and shocked” following the incident, called the police from the phone box.
The taxi was later found abandoned in Hotham Avenue, about half a mile from where the robbery took place.
Barry Hamer, chairman of York Private Hire Association, said there was widespread fear among drivers of late-night crime in York.
Ms Russell’s daughter Gillian, who also works for 659 Taxis, said: “She was unharmed in the attack but she is very shaken-up and upset. She described the knife as machete-like, which was obviously very frightening.”
She said Ms Russell, who has been with 659 Taxis for three years, would return to work over the next couple of days.
Graham Phillips, secretary of York Taxi Association, said: “We would deplore any attack on any member of staff in the taxi trade, but for it to happen to a female driver in the early hours does raise questions of safety and precautions should be taken to make sure something like this does not happen again.
“Luckily attacks on taxi staff in York are extremely rare. However, in the next meeting with City of York Council I shall be asking for measures to be put in place – such as CCTV cameras in taxis used by our female drivers – to prevent further attacks happening.”
Mr Hamer said: “A lot of our workers do not want to work at night any more because at the end of the day criminal low-life know we are walking cash machines.
Police carried out house-to-house inquiries, and detectives appealed to anyone who witnessed the robbery or was in the area at the time to come forward. They also appealed for anyone who was in the Hotham Avenue area, and saw the Passat or anyone leaving the vehicle, to contact York CID on 0845 6060247 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
The five men, aged 19, 21, 22, 23 and 25, are currently in police custody.
source:
http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/
Login
Register
FAQ
