FRESH APPEAL OVER TAXI CAB SABOTAGE
Police are making a renewed appeal for help in solving a potentially deadly sabotage attempt on a Torpoint taxi.
The Fiat Multipla taxi's brakes failed, causing it to career across a main road. Subsequent inspection showed the brake pipes had been cut deliberately.
Damon Lau, who owns the 24/7 taxi firm, was collecting the car for another driver on Tuesday, November 13 when the brakes failed.
He careered across the main A374 at Harvey Street towards a pub, but managed to avoid a collision and bring the taxi to a halt using the gears.
Mr Lau said that although the incident was alarming he did not realise at the time that someone had done it on purpose.
But when the vehicle was checked by a mechanic it was found that the brake pipes had been cut with something sharp.
Mr Lau said: "Obviously someone's got it in for us. It's not like slashing the tyres or something.
"I didn't think we'd upset anyone that much to want to kill us."
The taxi was parked between St James Road and Cremyll Road on the afternoon of Sunday, November 11, and stayed there until Tuesday morning when Mr Lau collected it. Police believe it was during this time that the brakes were cut.
PC Jon Alford of Torpoint police said it had been parked with the steering locked to one side, which would have made the saboteur's job easier.
He added that the taxi was often used for school drop-offs and that many people could have been hurt as a result of the "dangerous act."
"It could have been very serious," he said. "Fortunately it was just the driver and he didn't come to grief.
"We are appealing for any members of the public who might know who is responsible for such a dangerous act to contact us."
An earlier appeal in the Cornish press has so far failed to lead to an arrest, but the severed brake pipe has been submitted for forensic analysis.
Anyone with information is asked to call 08452 777444 and give reference number BT/07/881.
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