Taxi drivers in St Albans are concerned about the increase in cabbie crime during night shifts at the weekend.
A series of cases of taxi cabs being vandalised, unpaid fares and even fights in the back seat have recently been reported by local cabbies and they’re calling upon the council and police to take action urgently.
Just last week, a 17-year-old boy needed hospital attention after a group of six youngsters smashed the passenger window of a taxi before violently attacking the boy while he was sitting in the cab.
Another cabbie said that a fight had broken out in the back of his taxi and when he asked the passengers to get out, they turned on him and proceeded to vandalise his vehicle.
On the same night a male punched the wing mirror off a taxi after being dropped off by another cab and refusing to pay his fare.
Mudassar Yasin, General Secretary for St Albans and Harpenden Taxi Association, commented: “The taxi trade gets no support from the police. They vacate the town centre at 2.50am just before the pubs and clubs close, leaving drivers to fend for themselves.
“They’re not taking our safety into this. What will it take for them to notice?”
Police Reassurance
Herts Police have been trying to reassure drivers that they are in constant watch of the town centre through CCTV cameras and street patrol. They have also seen a significant decrease in crime since the placement of rank marshals.
A spokeswoman for Herts Police said: “We do patrol the town centre and have a 24 hour policing response in St Albans. We also work closely with local authorities, including CCTV operators, to ensure we are doing all we can to prevent and detect crime.
They urged everyone to report any crime no matter how small to help discourage thugs and prevent further crime.
The spokeswoman commented: “Any criminal matter reported is investigated promptly and dealt with effectively and I would like to reassure taxi drivers and any other member of the community that all reports of crime will be investigated and taken seriously.”