Londonderry: ‘Hijackers need to get off our backs’

A Londonderry delivery driver whose vehicle was hijacked by masked men says those responsible should get “off the backs off the people of Derry”.

Paul Leonard’s vehicle was one of a number hijacked in a spate of incidents in the city this week.

His van was taken in the Glenowen area of the city at about 16:45 BST on Tuesday and later found burnt out.

The DPD driver said he was approached by two masked men who instructed him to hand over the keys to his van.

“They snatched the keys from me and told me they were from the IRA and they were taking the van,” he told BBC Radio Foyle.

“It was just a shock at the time, I have often said if I came across this I would react, but to be honest it hit me totally unaware.

“It was so surreal, I stood for a minute or two afterward and thought: ‘My van’s away.'”

It is not just his livelihood that has gone, added Mr Leonard.

“I had a lot of personal belongings in that van, one of the things I had in that van was a picture of my dead grandson, I will never get that back again,” he said.

He said it was “deplorable that these people are ruining people’s livelihoods”.

Those responsible need to “get a life, and get off the backs of the people of Derry,” he said.

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Charlie Kelly of the Communications Workers Union said Royal Mail had suspended services to Glenowen, Creggan, Ballymagroarty and Galliagh.

An abandoned Royal Mail van sparked a security alert in the city’s Creggan area on Monday.

“I do not know how this is going to be resolved,” he told BBC Radio Foyle.

He said services could not resume until staff were assured about their safety.

Royal Mail has been approached for comment.

There were a number of further incidents in the city on Wednesday night, as police officers were attacked by youths throwing petrol bombs during a security alert on the city’s Skeoge Road.

The Mayor of the city, Brian Tierney, said a number of vehicles had been targeted during antisocial behaviour in Galliagh, which he described as “totally, totally unacceptable”.

“There were at least 150 people on the street, that was really worrying, not all of those people were engaged in antisocial behaviour, some were spectating.”

He said such a large crowd “encourages young people to put on a show for them”.

“People in the area must be allowed to live in peace,” he added.

Police have appealed for anyone with any information about the hijackings to contact them.

They said three vehicles were hijacked in the Creggan estate, Glenowen Park and Ballymagroarty on Tuesday.

In the first incident, a van was hijacked in Rathlin Drive at 15:55 BST and set alight a short distance away.

A second van was hijacked 50 minutes later in Glenowen Park, then a bus on Aileach Road at 17:15 BST. It was set alight, but quickly extinguished.