Taxi firm boss hits back at blackmailer
AN Inverness taxi firm has received a chilling phone call demanding money or its cars will be torched.
But the plucky boss at Inverness Taxis is fighting back against the menacing extortion threat with a two-pronged counter attack.
As a police investigation gets under way, he is offering a substantial reward for information leading to the culprit being caught, and is taking the unusual step of issuing a recording of the call received by a night dispatcher at one of the business’s two city offices.
Company boss Gavin Johnston said: "A male member of staff took the call on Monday, and it certainly wasn’t the kind of call we get on a daily basis.
"Someone is trying to extort money from us and threatening to torch our cars if we don’t pay up.
"I have decided to go public with this and put up a reward for information leading to a successful prosecution.
"We will also be posting a recording of the male caller’s voice on our website in the hope that someone out there will recognise the voice."
He added: "The caller said two guys were coming to collect. He said to the night dispatcher ‘unless you come across with the cash then the cars would be getting torched’."
Mr Johnston was taken aback when he was told about the call, received on an office number and recorded on its call-logging system.
He said: "Someone attempted to extort money from us via phone. He made threats to torch our taxis if we didn’t offer them an unspecified amount of money. He said a future call would be made to me to discuss this ransom before ending the call. The number was withheld.
"This incident shook me. I had to think for a moment. Why have we been targeted? Whatever faults I and my companies have had, what had we done to be targeted by a man with threats of destruction of property and the crippling of the lives of our drivers?
"Imagine waking up to find your car torched, your livelihood derailed. They don’t deserve that trauma. They deserve to work knowing they’re in a safe environment and with good people. Threats like this are not something they or anyone should ever have to deal with.
"We’re saying no to the extortion demand.
"We will not give in to such a threat and we’ve already spoken with the police regarding the matter."
Mr Johnston feels there may be other people in the city who have been similarly targeted either by the same individual or by similarly motivated individuals hoping to extort money from a thriving local business thinking they could get away with it.
He said he would like to hear from any other business that has been "held to ransom" like this.
"I hope that the individual heard on the call will be caught," said Mr Johnston.
"If you recognise the voice, please contact us with what information you have. A reward is available for information that leads to a conviction.
"And to the person who made this call if you are reading this. You won’t get a penny from me, but whoever helps catch you will."
