Glasgow family ‘living in fear’ after thugs target taxi cab in Gorbals

Khatija Ali has been left ‘traumatised’ after the family car was smashed on Margaret Street in the early hours of Tuesday.

The 26-year-old mum said she is now constantly scared of another attack as it is the second time in six months that the car has been targeted.

She claims yobs previously broke into the BMW and swiped credit cards before draining thousands of pounds from accounts, but they were never caught.

Now the family are begging the police to take serious action to catch the person responsible to avoid any more attacks.

Another taxi was also targeted in the street on Tuesday.

Khatija told the Glasgow Times: “It has been horrible and really traumatising, something needs to be done. I feel like we are being targeted.

“I'm fearful looking out the windows in the morning. I shouldn't have to do that in my own home.

“There were lots of different cars parked along the road, but they only went for taxi drivers, it is suspicious.

“The police might be investigating two smashed taxis, but I believe there was more than that.

“I never expected something like this to happen in our area but now it has happened twice.

“The first time we lost thousands from credit cards and now we need to pay for this, the police need to take serious action.”

Pictures showed the glass shattered over the street and driver's seat after the two cars were vandalised between 3.30am and 9.30am.

The Ali family has been forced to fork out for repairs for the vandalism while taxi driver Baber Khan, 35, has been forced to miss work leaving his wages short.

It comes as the cost-of-living crisis has made money tight and stressful with household bills sky-rocketing this winter.

Now to repair the window it could cost up to £800 and the family will also lose hundreds of pounds as Baber cannot currently accept fares.

Khatija said: “With the cost-of-living crisis this couldn’t have happened at a worse time.

“We are losing a lot of money as it is very expensive to get the repairs and Baber can’t take shifts while the car is damaged.

“Petrol prices are sky-high at the moment so he can’t make much profit from his earnings right now.

“He relies on the wages so for that to be taken away is really hard and unfair, all because someone decided to smash his window.”

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Police received a report of vandalism to two vehicles on Margaret Street in Glasgow which occurred between 3.30am and 9.30am on Tuesday, November 8, 2022.

"Enquiries are at an early stage.”

The family are now raising funds to help pay for the damage which you can donate to here.