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Haulier angry over police response
Page 15
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By David Harris A NORTHERN IRELAND haulier has made a complaint to the Police Ombudsman because he claims police ignored repeated 999 calls as one of his trucks was being torched by a gang of thugs.
David Hamilton, who owns 12-truck operation H&T Transport of Annaghmore, Co Armagh, tells CM that police said they would come as soon as they could, but that the Renault Midlum was burnt out before they arrived at the scene.
The attack began at 12.30am on 24 July, when one of Hamilton's drivers was delivering to newsagents in Lurgan, Co Armagh Hamilton says two bullets were fired through the windscreen, and driver Ian Liggett was told to clear off. Hamilton then drove to the vehicle, which had electronic tracking, in his car and managed to put out the flames threatening to engulf the Renault.
He phoned 999 twice, but the police did not respond and the gang reassembled and got control of the vehicle again, eventually destroying it on the Lake St railway crossing.
The police say they are investigating the hijacking, and have asked anybody who saw it to call them at Lurgan on 0845 600 8000.
A spokesman for the Police Service of Northern Ireland says "Policing is being delivered across the whole of the Lurgan area, but the safety of police officers and the public is a priority, and that may mean, at times, we need to be cautious in our approach to some incidents: