Blanchardstown

[silverbullet]

Seriously though If it's true that theyre using mytaxi  or some other app to lure drivers and the drivers pay money for this service then there ought to be some measures taken to make the app safe again and  recompense those  affected  ... No?

There was a meeting in a local hotel. One of the organisers was John Boyle of Whistle I'm told.

[Bubba Ho-Tep]

Joe, nevermind. Them Hell`s Angels fixed it. Not a peep from anyone since they did a toy run.

Fixed yer post Doc.

[Belker]

Joe, I had a detective from New York in the car and he was saying that he brings young black kids from Harlem over to Ireland to visit Tyrellstown to scare them straight Joe.

Lovin' it DMG, especially this line !   
Keep it coming ! 

[Belker]

https://m.independent.ie/irish-news/courts/teen-14-faces-sentence-over-spate-of-taxi-robberies-in-dublin-36793916.html

A 14 year old youth has been WARNED by a judge over the incidents, but No fine or No custodial sentence has been passed despite his braking of Bail/Curfew requirements.


"A 14-YEAR-OLD boy has been warned he is facing a six-month sentence for his part in a spate of robberies of taxi drivers in Dublin.

He and another boy, who was aged 16, had been charged earlier in connection with robberies of taxi drivers in the Tyrrelstown area on December 10, December 12 and December 17 last.

The younger boy pleaded guilty today to one charge of robbery of a driver of a phone worth €400 and cash which was taken from the taxi man at Curragh Hall on the first date on the first date.

The court heard the boy and three others booked the cab from Dublin city-centre to take them to the Clarehall area. However, during the route they asked to be taken to another where the driver's property and cash were taken.

The first-time offender admitted that he failed to pay a taxi for a journey, in Balbriggan in north Co. Dublin and trespassing at a building site there following a chase on December 12 last two days later.

At an earlier stage, Judge John O’Connor ordered him and a co-defendant to abide by bail conditions including a curfew, an order to go to school and not to associate with each other. A breach of bail would result in being remanded in custody, they have been warned.

However, the judge noted from a garda that the bail terms had been broken and as he adjourned sentencing he warned the 14-year-old he was facing a possible six-month term in the Oberstown detention centre.

He asked for a probation report on the boy, who was accompanied to the hearing by his solicitor and his mother, to be furnished to the court. He said the teen faced serious charges and if he continued to break the bail terms a custodial sentence would be imposed.

“Notwithstanding your age, the approximate starting point would be six months,” he told the boy, who replied “yes” when asked if he understood.

Judge O’Connor stressed that he had to change his ways, comply with the bail terms and not come to further garda notice.

He said under the Children Act he had to take into account the teen’s interests but also the victim and public policy. The boy was remanded on continuing bail to appear again next month.

His co-accused has not yet indicated how he will plead and had his case adjourned until a date in May.

He is accused of taking part in the same robbery of the driver of the €400 phone at Curragh Hall on the first date. It also alleged he was involved in a robbery of two other taxi drivers who had phones and cash taken over the following week.

The court has heard that up to six youths had been involved in the incidents and the 16-year-old was regarded as being an alleged leader of the group during the incidents."

[Belker]

So in effect the judge is telling teenager's under 18 that it is OK to rob Taxi drivers and If'n ya get caught then I will give ya a proper 'Bollocking' but I won't Jail ya or Fine ya, Even if ya break the Bail/Curfew restrictions that I set you, I'll give you another Bollocking the next time your before me but I still won't Fine or Jail you.

[Belker]

It's Fookin' Laughable, I feel like teaching my Teenage son (16) how to rob Taxies.

Draw them in to a Cul-de-sac with a few mates on-board, Rob and Plunder at will,
if'n ya get caught then there is no Fine or Sentence to be served and when ya turn 18,
your Juvenile record is deleted.

[mercenary for hire]

We're like rolling ATMs for the strokers.These kids are watching taxi drivers with the latest smartphones sitting on the dash,driving newish Audis and Beemers.Driving around like fukkin rappers.One of the few businesses that deffo have cash onboard at all hours of the night.Ya can't really blame them for seeing an opportunity.Taxi drivers used to drive regular motors when I was a kid.Always looked like they needed a few bob.Exactly the way I like to be.

[Rat Catcher]

That seems to be the way it works, Ken. As per my last contribution the Gardai feel their hands are tied once these juveniles enter the system. What was explained to me is that their appointed JLO takes the offences into account when he reports back to the court, or some such, resulting in no additional penalties. If this is how these (offspring of) immigrants are behaving as minors they'll surely give our home grown gangsters a run for their money when they grow up. Maybe that's why the Gardai spend so much of their time and resources trying to stop gangsters from shooting each other i.e. they don't fancy tackling what is waiting to replace the current batch of armed thugs that terrorise the streets of Dublin with impunity.

Travellers often feature in taxi drivers' horror stories, DM. In my very early days of taxi driving I had a bad experience with a crowd of settled travellers living in Howth. All I done was ask them for the fare (from the Priorswood) and they went completely ballistic. Fortunately, I was driving a black cab at the time and it's glass partition stood up to their fists/feet/elbows/arms/etc. When they eventually got out I swiftly vacated the area with the very real feeling that I was lucky to escape with my life. Lesson learned, as a rule I don't take anything from the Priorswood to this day. That said, when I worked for C2K we had a good few regulars from the travelling community, none of whom ever caused trouble. I guess there's bad apples in every barrel but with travellers I think you really need to know who you're dealing with.

According to the article (published within the last two weeks) drivers have a facility to alert each other and the Gardai if they feel unsafe, TDH. I'm not aware of any driver who knows of or subscribes to the system mentioned but I guess it could be a mytaxi add-on given that the gang are reported to be using the mytaxi app to attract victims. mytaxi features/allocations are routinely restricted to certain groups of drivers. Perhaps it is a facility for Ambassadors or Priority drivers?

[watty]

I have a vague memory of someone suggesting it was a closed whatsapp group.  I can't find the link but found this instead...

http://www.thejournal.ie/blanch-taxi-gang-whatsapp-3814949-Jan2018/

Now when drivers feel unsafe, they are able to send their location to a messaging group. Gardaí are then alerted, as well as taxi drivers in the area, who search for the roof sign number of the driver in trouble.

When I read whatever I read, others were dismissive of a taxi driver typing HELP or whatever into his phone when the passengers behind could see exactly what he was typing!

[mercenary for hire]

It's hard to type yer location when yer getting punched in the back of the head.Even harder when your phone is gone.I'd say it was just a deterrent.

[Rat Catcher]

One would assume the app ascertains your location... but it still seems to be a secret service.