Mumbai thieves target Padminis for parts, cabbies look to cops

The city’s taximen are a worried lot. Foxed by the increasing number of cases of the disappearance of the good old Premier Padmini Fiat taxis, the city cabbies union has appealed to the city police to save their old vehicles.

“The Premier Padmini is an easy target, as unlike new cars it does not have a safety-lock mechanism. But with their spare parts being expensive, we often find that several of the missing cabs are later found abandoned with all their spares stripped,’’ Anthony L Quadros, Mumbai Taximen’s Union leader told DNA.

Most of the stolen cabs went missing from areas like south Mumbai, Nana Chowk and Charni Road between 2 pm and 3pm and were later found abandoned in areas like Mahim and Dadar, of course with their radiators or battery removed, he said.

‘’We have written to the cops about the issue and also met them personally. There is one gang involved in it, and a drug addict whom the police avoid arresting as he does various theatrics on being arrested like fainting or falling down. But the police have to arrive at a solution to stop these thefts,’’ he added.

A taxi driver said the theft was easy as there was a huge second-hand market for spare parts of the Premier Padmini.