Taxi attacks could be linked say police

POLICE are growing increasingly concerned after the latest in a series of violent knife-point robberies on Oldham taxi drivers.

Officers are treating the latest incident as racially motivated - and aren’t ruling out the possibility of the incidents being linked.

The latest attack, on Wednesday evening, saw a driver suffer slashes to his arm and hand after collecting two men from Richmond Walk.

One got in the front seat and the second got in behind the driver before the man in the passenger seat pulled out a 10” knife and held it to his stomach.

He ordered the driver to turn off the engine and demanded cash while the person in the back seat held a knife to the driver’s throat. The driver handed over the cash and the pair fled towards Manchester Road.

Insp Alan Humphries from Oldham neighbourhood policing team said: “We have seen numerous acts of violence and anti-social behaviour directed against taxi drivers in Oldham. This is the second knife-point robbery in a week, and we have also had reports of taxis being pelted with stones and eggs.

“These horrible and violent offences are being given the highest priority. So far we have made six arrests.”

Drivers are considering various security measures including CCTV cameras in their cars. Meetings were held on Tuesday with councillors, taxi drivers and taxi company owners.