Armed Robbery!

It was my second day ever driving cabs, and the most exciting thing that ever happened in a seven year career as a driver.

I started driving at Toukley, with restricted plates and a roster system whereby at most times only three of the four cabs were on the road, and at other times, only two.  This was done with a rolling four-week roster and gave the owners a great chance to get the cars maintained and repaired.  And if there were mechanical failures, the cab rostered off could easily swap the off day for an on day, etc.

It was a Sunday, and my cab was on standby.  This meant there were two working cars, and if needed the third car could come on to the road to assist a busy period.  As it was my second day ever driving a cab, I spent a lot of time sitting at home in the driveway listening to the two-way radio.

Well, about half an hour later a call came in from a very distressed driver driving a Wyong car.  Judy got on the two-way and said "base, I've just been at the BP at Tuggerah, and a couple of guys in balaclavas have left driving a red falcon, and the attendant has come out saying he's just been robbed at knifepoint.  The red falcon is heading north along the Tuggerah straight and I'm now following it as best as I can".

Eventually the pursuit progressed through Wyong, Wyong North and up to Kanwal, which is where I was.  So I started up the car and headed out to the Pacific Highway.  At this point in time (1983) there were two options for a car going along this road - either to continue north towards Doyalson, or turn right and head towards Toukley.  So I said to Judy on the two-way "I'll head north, you turn right and we'll be able to keep track of them".  Of course in the meantime the operator had called the police and they were out "in force".

Merely by keeping their location observed and transmitted over the two-way we were doing our stuff and making it easier for the police.

Eventually they turned right towards Toukley (not the way I had gone), and coming the other way from Toukley Police Station, of course, were several patrol vehicles who stopped the red falcon and arrested the culprits.  We made the local paper the next day or so (which referred to us as "taxi-men" which was a bit of an insult to Judy, I suppose, but typical of our local paper).  The money was recovered, and the crime had been solved within half an hour of its commission!

I got the sack.  I never drove a Toukley car ever again, and in fact made the move to Newcastle to continue my driving career, which involved sitting a locations test as well (country drivers do not need to pass a locality test, whereas Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong drivers do).  But that's a story for another day.