TWO men have been arrested in connection with a spate of attacks on Huddersfield taxi drivers following an appeal in the Examiner.
Police detained the pair, aged 21 and 22, after an anonymous tip off.
They were picked up at Browning Road, Sheepridge, at the weekend and were still in custody last night.
It followed seven robberies on taxi drivers in the last two weeks in the Fartown, Sheepridge and Crosland Moor areas.
In each incident, cabbies were set upon by two men after attending what they believed to be genuine fares.
Police set up a special team to deal with the issue and increased patrols in the affected areas this weekend.
Makhan Singh, of Kirklees Hackney Carriage Association said there had been a greater sense of reassurance among drivers.
He said: “I only heard of one incident this weekend with a passenger kicking a taxi door. The police were called and they were there in minutes.
“Obviously we hope everything will calm down and we can get back to just doing our jobs.”
Police are still wanting to question a woman who was taken from Bob’s Taxis on John William Street to Corby Street in Fartown on Thursday evening, where one of the attacks happened.
She is described as mixed race, 5ft 2ins and slim and was wearing a blue and white headscarf, light blue hooded top and black trousers.
The news of the arrests came as it was revealed a Dewsbury taxi driver was left unconscious in an unrelated attack.
The man, who works for Royal Cars, was called out to Centenary Square in Thornhill.
Three men got in and asked to be taken from there to Ravensthorpe Railway Station.
When he got to the station they set upon him, put a rope around his neck, pulled him out of the car and beat him unconscious.
They then took his car keys and drove off in the taxi.
The victim had to have hospital treatment but was recovering at home yesterday.
The stolen car was later found at Mill Street West.
Anyone with information about either the wanted woman or the Dewsbury incident should call Det Insp Jim Griffiths or Det Sgt Kelvin Lecomber on 0845 6060606 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.
