Armed with numerous police warnings and tips on how to avoid being robbed particularly during this holiday season, some taxi operators in Savanna-la-Mar, Westmoreland, for the most part, are happy to have made it this far without a single major incident. However, the same cannot be said of a few who have had their lives threatened been robbed, beaten and their cars stolen.

The Western Mirror was told women are being used as sidekicks or as point persons in most of these alleged robbery attempts, in which at least two taxi drivers were said to have been taken away by knife wielding, gun pointing women.

One taxi operator who traverses the Savanna-la-Mar to Grange Hill route, revealed the dangerous nature of their operations. He said being a taxi operator has become increasingly dangerous as thugs, both male and female are serious hazards to their ability to earn a living and their lives. He related an incident in which a fellow taxi driver was taken away by two females posing as passengers who chartered the taxi at Hendon square enroute to Grange Hill when they struck. The women, he said, instructed the driver not to pick up any other passenger as they would pay him extra for the empty seats.

“Suh him drive off with dem and before you know it is gun dem pull pon de man and tell him seh him must turn off innah a certain place. Is dem things deh a happen,” the man said.

He said his friend was held against his will by the women while the men robbed the driver of cash before stealing the vehicle. The driver was also beaten.

The Westmoreland Police have in recent times been making overtures to taxi operators throughout the town in an effort to sensitize them on the dangers posed by criminals during the Christmas holidays. A safety and crime prevention manual was issued throughout the town.

The police, in the meantime have confirmed at least two of the alleged incidents.

Earlier in the month a special appeal was made by the police urging taxi operators to be vigilant and careful in how they approach passengers. The printed handouts, list several tips that taxi operators should employ in the carrying out of their business but while the police are being proactive in setting the stage for a more secure town; criminals are planning counter strategies against the police efforts.

“It is easier for a taxi man to get trapped by a woman than for a man to do it. These women dress very attractively but they are wicked people. Because after dem take away me friend a straight a dem gun man friend dem carry him,” the taxi man said.

“Right now you can’t trust man nor woman because everybody a thief; the gunman dem know seh people a look out for them suh what dem do is to have the little cheap woman dem a work fe dem,” the man said.

The police are said to be investigating the allegations.