Taxi Driver Online

Evening Herald (Plymouth)

May 15, 2007 Tuesday

Cabbie in fear after robbery

CARL EVE Crime Reporter

A czech taxi driver has spoken of his fear after being robbed of his night's taking by two men in what police say was a well planned operation.

Self-employed black cab driver Thomas Horn, aged 31, was driving along North Hill at around 4.45am on Sunday when he was hailed by two men.

They asked the Prague-born cabbie to take them to Burns Avenue in Manadon. After they arrived one of the men got out and stood by Thomas's door while the other paid the fare.

The man inside the cab then asked Thomas if he could change a £1 coin for two 50 pence pieces. Thomas, who has driven a black cab in Plymouth for the past two-and-a-half years after arriving in the city, reached for his wallet and as he opened it the man demanded he hand it over.

Refusing, the man then reached through the cab's internal window and grabbed Thomas around the mouth and throat. Thomas said: "The other one opened the door and tried to take my wallet. I didn't want to give it to him - he punched my face.

"Blood was running down my face. It was not nice. I had to call an ambulance and go to hospital to glue my right eye. I wear glasses and they cut me. "I was scared because it has never happened to me before. I felt very secure in this city before now.

"I continue to work, it's my job and I am self-employed - I need to pay for the car. "But I need to check my passengers more. I need to be more aware and improve my security."

Detectives investigating the incident say the robbers escaped with around £360 in all. Both men ran off down a back alley by Burns Avenue and police are checking through CCTV in the hope of identifying the men.

Detective Constable Steve Ham said: "It appears these men had planned their robbery, with one covering the door while the other remained inside. "It was a terrifying ordeal for the driver who has never experienced this sort of crime before and he was left needing hospital treatment for his injury.

"I would urge people to come forward with any information they have."

The man who remained in the cab was described as white, between 20 and 25, stocky, 5ft 5ins, with dark brown hair. He wore dark blue tracksuit top and bottoms. The second man was also white, aged between 20 and 25, medium build with brown hair. He wore dark sports clothing.
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Another factually incorrect evening herald article, driving a hac for 2 and a half years, don't think so.

They probably asked how long he's been driving, he was private hire for several years first.

I forgot, we're all taxi drivers in the evening heralds eyes.

And £360 a nights takings, damn, time I went back out nights.