Stone-throwing yobs targeting taxi drivers

Gangs of youngsters started targeting cabs just before Christmas and the issue has become an unwelcome trend, says taxi driver Ammad Chaubhary. “I had about three kids throwing stones at my taxi just the other day,” said Ammad, who has a wife and two children who rely on his income. “One of my friends has had his windows smashed twice within two weeks. “One time he had been driving on Deepdale Road and somebody threw a padlock onto his cab which broke his screen. “It was cracked all over so he had to replace it. Whatever they find they throw it.” “We are not earning millions that we can keep replacing the glass.” Ammad, 39, said that getting the police to arrive in time to catch the youths, who are aged between eight and 16, is proving difficult. He said: “We have to stop the kids and obviously we need police help but they aren’t that interested. “If we call them they’ll be delayed by half an hour or an hour. “The kids aren’t going to wait around, they just throw the stones and run away.” But as time goes on, and without police intervention, the situation is getting worse. “Before it was in one area,” said Ammad, who works for AAA Taxis in Corporation Street. “Now its in two or three areas. Its happening every single day now especially in New Hall Lane in the evenings. “Other areas affected are Ashton, Deepdale, Ribbleton, Brookfield, Grange and Ingol. “We are scared to go to those areas now because when we know these things happen we have to go and pick up our customers but our attention isn’t 100 per cent on the road, its partly on any groups of kids.”