DANGERS OF BOGUS TAXIS

LEGAL RIDE | but entering a bogus taxi could endanger your life

Inside Out exposes the dangers of illegal taxis prowling our city centres and the woman who found a rapist was driving her home.

In the UK there are 150,000 licensed taxi drivers. But if you get into one of the growing numbers of illegal cabs, you put your life at risk.

Illegal taxis are unlicensed, uninsured and taking up to £1,000 a night.

Danger

Hayley Owen's life has dramatically changed

Hayley Owen was raped after being picked up illegally in Nottingham.

Hayley says, "You’re on your own, you’ve probably had a few drinks, so you’re defences are down. It’s late at night, you’re really vulnerable in a taxi.

"I felt very alone. I was trying to figure out what to do but couldn’t see past the panic. I was just crying and knew that it was going to happen and there wasn’t a lot I could do about it."

Although Hayley escaped with her life, she says the mental scars of such an attack never heal.

"It’s torn my family apart. I don’t work any more. I’m not confident, I’m frightened of a lot of situations… It’s completely changed me life."

Investigation

Inside Out discovered that it is relatively easy to flag down an illegal taxi.

Armed with hidden cameras, a team of undercover reporters hit the streets of Birmingham City Centre on a busy Saturday night.

They were picked-up within minutes by a bogus taxi driver who had no council signs, no taxi licence or driver ID.

The driver was soon boasting to the Inside Out team about how lucrative his activities were.

"I pulled a grand, over a grand in just one night," he says.

The Inside Out team have passed his details and the film we recorded to West Midlands Police, who are now investigating.

DCI Steven Anderson from West Midlands police says, "We know nothing at all about this man. For all we know, he could be a previous sex offender, he could be somebody who’s going to attack you or rob you."

Eager passenger

Despite the dangers and the warnings issued by police, people seem to be undeterred from flagging down bogus taxis.

In a further undercover investigation, Inside Out took a part time actor to cruise the streets of Birmingham in an unmarked saloon car.

He was not registered as a taxi driver, he’s had no police checks, he’s got no insurance for picking up passengers and there are no signs on the car saying he is a taxi.

Despite this, punters were begging him to let them into the car.

One girl, who appeared to be under the influence of alcohol, told him, "I know you’re not a taxi… I don’t care to be honest. I’m a very good judge of character and to be honest, I need to get home. I’m by myself…"

Future risks

DCI Steven Anderson of West Midlands Police

Legal cabbie Tim Maddox is appalled by people who are posing as taxi drivers. He thinks it is only a matter of time before a bogus cabbie kills someone.

He says, "The city cabs have known for years that this is a potential time bomb waiting to go off. As yet, they seem unable or in able to act on it. It will happen… sooner or later. It will be too late then."

Last year in the West Midlands, there were more than 200 successful prosecutions either of drivers posing as cabbies or private hire drivers stopping to make unregistered pick-ups.

West Midlands police say that investigations into illegal taxis are continuing.

Help and support

If you have any information about illegal taxis operating anywhere in the UK, you should contact your local police authority or visit UK Online: Reporting Crime.

If you have been effected by Hayley’s story, or have been a victim of a crime involving an illegal taxi, you can contact Victim Support on 0845 30 30 9000. Calls are charged at local rate.

Victim Support provides emotional support and information for anyone effected by a crime, whether it's been reported or not and regardless of when it happened.

Also see the weblinks section below for supporting information.