Colchester suspected car burglar captured in CCTV footage

The chairman of the Colchester Hackney Carriage Association said crooks targeting taxis are “costing drivers a fortune”.

He claimed since December at least 60 Hackney Carriages in the city have been the subject of a break-in or attempted burglary.

It comes as footage shared with the Gazette shows a woman trying door handles and shining a torch in the windows of a parked up taxi in St Leonard’s Road.

The incident, which took place at 4.30am on January 8, is just one of many being seen across Colchester, according to cabbies.

The chairman, who requested to remain anonymous, added Greenstead is a particular area of concern for drivers.

He said: “At the moment it is so tough being a taxi driver. It is costing us a fortune.

“The problem every year is at its worst around Christmas and New Year but it has never been as bad as it is now.

On the prowl - a suspected thief searches a car with a torch (Image: Contribution)

“I have been doing this since 1994 and this past year I have seen it become so bad.”

The cabbie said another recent incident saw a window smashed on a taxi driver’s car while it was left parked in the Leisure World car park, in Cowdray Avenue, in broad daylight.

Other acts of vandalism have been reported in the Hythe, Shrub End and Stanway.

“You can’t go round picking passengers up with broken windows, it is not professional to just put plastic in place,” he added.

Trying her luck - the person tries the door of another car (Image: Contribution)

“Customers don’t want to get in a car like that having paid a lot of money, so we have to take our vehicles off the road.

“This could take three days, it could take a week. All this time you’re not working and so you’re losing money.”

Last week another cabbie said there is an ongoing "epidemic" of attacks against vehicles in Colchester.

He said he has heard tales of windows being caved in and tyres slashed by criminals.