TAKEAWAY BIKERS TARGETED BY YOBS
HUNDREDS of Deliveroo workers have been attacked, robbed or abused while doing their job.
A survey of police forces revealed how delivery riders had been the victims of street crimes more than 200 times.
The catalogue of violence included attacks with dogs, an assault by a knifewielding moped gang and a beating from an “anti-Brexit” mob.
The data was disclosed under Freedom of Information laws by 37 of the 44 police forces in England and Wales.
It revealed 201 crimes against Deliveroo workers last year, but when estimates are made for forces that failed to respond the total is 239 – around 20 every month. In Devon and Cornwall, a motorcycle delivery rider was abused by three yobs who started shouting about Brexit and the Union flag on his crash helmet.
The gang then attacked him, causing head and chest injuries.
Northumbria police had one case where a motorcycle Deliveroo worker was tailed by four men on two motorbikes.
They attacked him when he stopped to make a food delivery.
The thugs used a hammer and a pipe to assault him while trying to steal his phone and bike.
In Hertfordshire, a delivery rider called the police after being savaged by a large dog while handing over a takeaway. It left the victim with ripped clothes and a wound to their arm.
Merseyside Police had a case where a rider was set upon by a gang who got out of a car and assaulted him when they came to a stop at a junction.
While Norfolk Police had one case where a Deliveroo worker was chased by a thief who pulled off his bag containing food and then rode away on his bicycle.
And officers in the West Midlands dealt with a case where a Deliveroo cyclist was pushed to the ground and punched in the head and body by an offender who was trying to steal their bike.
But the cyclist managed to fight back and the attacker fled.