Youths attack delivery cyclist
A DELIVERY cyclist was attacked by a group of youths who tried to steal his bike.
The incident outside McDonald’s on High Street in Newport city centre was captured by a nearby CCTV camera.
The Just Eat rider, who has asked to remain anonymous, said he was waiting outside McDonald’s on Newport High Street shortly before 5pm on Thursday when he was approached by a group of young people.
The delivery rider said one person tried to “grab” his bag, while another attempted to steal his bike.
He said verbal abuse is something delivery riders in Newport have become accustomed to dealing with on a regular basis.
The rider said he was also approached by a group of young adults in a city centre underpass two weeks ago.
“Someone grabbed me by my bag, and then one of the kids tried to take my bike,” he said.
“One of the kids threw a stick at me for no reason.
“It shouldn’t be happening. We are at work, we’re working hard, and we don’t get any kind of respect. And it’s not only me, it’s a lot of people.”
The rider explained that he’s been living in Newport for around a year after moving over from Bath, but feels so unsafe while travelling around the city he is making plans to move.
He added that he worries he might receive abuse every time he goes to work.
“I can’t tell my family or they’re going to get worried,” he said.
“Yesterday, I had to show them [what happened], and they were literally saying: ‘please don’t go to work’.
“But I can’t do that, because I don’t have any other job.”
He added: “I told my wife [about the incident], and she started crying and asked me to stop going into town.”
Discussing the wider problem for food delivery riders, Deliveroo rider Bjorn Richards said he and other riders fear for their safety on a daily basis.
“We’re sick of the bike thefts, the attacks, the close calls, cyclists getting killed and injured,” he said.
“We want something done about it.”
Mr Richards, 37, said delivery riders are scared of assaults as well as becoming victims of theft and abuse.
Wales on Sunday approached Gwent Police for further information but the force said it was unable to comment.