Taxi drivers across Cambridge have said they are living in “fear” after several break-ins over the last few months. Maninder Singh, the General Secretary of the Cambridge Taxi Driver Association, said more than 40 taxi drivers have had windows smashed and belongings stolen since the start of February.

Mr Singh said taxi drivers in the city are under constant stress due to the break-ins. He said: “I’ve spoken to a lot of drivers and they’ve said they can’t go to sleep at night because they are constantly worrying about their cars. They are scared to leave their cars and that’s a burden on the driver.

“They don’t just use these cars for work. They are for private use as well such as the school run, shopping, taking their children to clubs. Their lives are being impacted but they are stuck. They can’t do anything about it.”

One taxi driver, who asked to remain anonymous, said he left his car for a few minutes to get something from a shop before being told his taxi’s window had been smashed and the vehicle broken into.

He said: “I was just standing there. I didn’t know what to do. I called someone and they couldn’t fix the glass for another three days so I couldn’t work. It cost me £240 for the window and all they took was around £30 and some change.”

The driver also has a contract to take special needs school children to and from school. He lost around £500 after he was unable to work for a few days after the incident.

He said: “I had to tell the mums and dads that I couldn’t pick the kids up and they had to find someone else to do it. For the children, they don’t like being with different drivers. It disrupted their day.”

The driver said the situation has made him ‘angry’. He continued: “I think if the guy had knocked on my window and asked for the money in my car, I would have given it to him. That would’ve saved me a lot of hassle. To the police, it’s a petty theft. But the money I’ve lost out on in terms of trade, that’s part of my mortgage payment.”

Cambridgeshire Police has confirmed the force is investigating the incidents and enquiries are ongoing to identify those responsible. Police have received reports about break-ins across the city, including on Graham Road, Garden Walk, Coldham’s Lane, and Coleridge Road.

Mr Singha added the trade is “already struggling financially” because of inflation and these break-ins are only adding to drivers’ stress, as “they can’t make a living”. Some drivers have lost around £1,000 from missing out on weekend trade and having to pay to fix their car, he said.

Many taxi drivers believe they are being targeted because it is “very easy to identify” taxis by signs they are required to have on their vehicles. Mr Singh said he believes that people breaking into taxis search them for items to steal and if they don’t find anything, they look for other taxis to target.

Drivers have said they understand why taxis have to have signs on the vehicle but believe it is “ridiculously unfair” for drivers to be ‘penalised’ if they take them off their vehicles when not at work. Mr Singh said drivers feel like they have to choose between having their cars broken into or having points added to their private hire driver licence.

Cllr Natalie Warren Green, Lead Cabinet Member for Licensing for South Cambridgeshire District Council, said: “The requirement for taxis to securely display their ID plates and Council and Operator signage has been part of our Taxi Licensing Policy for several years. We are aware that Police are investigating a recent general rise in vehicle break‑ins, including incidents involving taxis.

“As this is an active investigation, it would be inappropriate to speculate on the causes but we would urge everyone to follow the Police’s advice and ensure they do not leave personal belongings on show in cars when they are unattended.”