Taxi Driver Online

Mystery as three taxi roof signs stolen in two days in Cromer

http://www.northnorfolknews.co.uk/news/ ... -1-5622499


Image: Bill Parker, Bernie's Taxis

Fears have been raised that three stolen taxi roof signs could be used to dupe people into using bogus vehicles.

They were taken from vehicles belonging to three different taxi firms in the Suffield Park area of Cromer within a 200-yard area over two days.

The first was taken from Premier Cars on Sunday night, July 22, in York Road, then from Coast to Coast Taxis in Rosebery Road and Bernie’s Taxis in Cliff Road, both on Monday night.

Each sign costs about £100 and Bill Parker, owner of Bernie’s Taxis, said: “A taxi driver should have a photo licence with them at all times and a North Norfolk District Council (NNDC) licence plate should be displayed both in the car and attached to the rear of the taxi.”

Norfolk police said further enquiries were being made.

Anyone with information about the Bernie’s theft should call Pc Michael Johnston quoting the crime reference number 36/45182/18.

Three doesn't sound many, but since Cromer's population is around 8,000 then how many taxis would there be? Couple of dozen at most?

Probably just someone souvenir hunting though, or stolen to sell on - couldn't see anyone starting a *fleet* of bogus taxis.

Definitely something 'fishy' going on though

Lets not forget its a holiday destination for OAP's

Most taxi roof signs are stolen to order and sold to less scrupulous operators in another area or even the same area.

In law if someone removes the top and bottom half and marries them up with other top and bottoms there's nothing you can do even if you recognise the top half of your sign with the lettering scraped off if it is attached to the bottom half which wasn't yours you can't go after the "new owner" for theft

I found that out to my cost many years ago and it's a scam that has been going for years especially amongst certain communities

There are many newbies to the trade that are looking to keep their costs down and plenty of relatives willing to help them

these signs aren't being pinched for fake taxis they are being pinched for real ones usually 50 to 100 miles away

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