Taxi Driver Online

Kirkby taxis face gun threat

TAXI drivers are staying off the road at night after becoming the target for armed robbers. Police are investigating two attempted robberies on private hire taxi drivers in the Westvale area of Kirkby within the past 10 days.

In both attacks a taxi was called from a phone box in the early hours of the morning, but when they turned up the drivers were threatened with a gun. Now some drivers are shunning night shifts until the gunman is caught.

One said: “I’m not the only one who thinks it’s too dangerous to be out on the roads at night at the moment. “We’ve all got families and it’s not worth the risk. What happens if this bloke gets nervous and actually shoots someone.”

In the first incident, officers were called at around 2.30am on Saturday July 5, when a taxi was called to Westfield Walk, Kirkby.

The taxi driver pulled up outside an address when a man appeared at the passenger window, holding what is believed to be a black pistol and demanded money from the driver. The driver managed to put his foot down and drive off, leaving the robber empty-handed.

The second incident police are investigating took place at around 1.30am on Wednesday, July 9, when a taxi was called to Richard Hesketh social club on Richard Hesketh Drive. As he pulled up, the driver saw three youths standing in an alley way next to the social club.

One of the youths came up to the car, holding a silver gun and demanded money. Again the driver managed to pull away and the offender made off empty-handed. The armed man in this case was white, aged 16-18, slim and about 5ft 7in.

There is no description of the first offender .

_________________
IDFIMH