As for many of you this case pops into my mind regularly, and I haven’t noticed anyone mention this idea that he got a taxi somewhere further afield? Black cabs would have only taken cash in those days, which explains the withdrawal of £200 cash, and there would have been a heavy stream of them waiting outside King’s Cross Station. Would also explain the lack of sightings/CCTV evidence (although I am aware of how much the Police’s incompetence contributed to this).
I also understand that Andrew visited London with his family, but for anyone even slightly unfamiliar with the tube network it can be intimidating and confusing, let alone for a 14 year old travelling on their own who doesn’t even live there. A cab would be appealing, easily recognisable and easy to hail from the very busy station of King’s Cross.
Edited for typos.
I would’ve through a legit black cab driver who had taken a young 14 year old on his own to a far away location would’ve come forward when the police begun looking for him. (I think) that would’ve been quite unusual, even for those days. But maybe not.
I tend to think Andrew was due to meet someone that day who falsely offered to take him around some places for treats, then had him murdered. It would be all too easy for a groomer to get Andrew to jump in an unlicensed taxi to maintain their alibi.
His dad said Andrew was a thoughtful boy, so it wouldn’t be out of the realms of possibility that Andrew would offer to pay for himself. If I wasn’t sure how much stuff could cost at that age, I’d likely taken out the majority of my savings too.
It’s definitely possible though as there’s 0 evidence in this case to prove what he did after he walked out of Kings X. I’m positive he was looking round for someone or something in the last pieces of CCTV though.
Illegal mini cabs in 2007 in London was a huge thing. This was pre-Uber obviously and legislation was tightened in 2008.
We have had licensed Taxi drivers like Worboys https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Worboys using it as a way to find victims
( note Worboys targeted women, I'm using this as an example of the fact not all Black Cab drivers are or, were honest, non murdering types. I am not suggesting he had anything to do with Andrews disappearance)
However, Andrew knew how to use public transport in London, took the tube with his family. Entered London at a major terminus. Andrew could have entered London to leave London bought another train ticket, to anywhere.
Yes I understand what you mean, but someone evil enough to abduct someone is probably going to see if they can get away with it. I only thought of the vehicle idea when I was re-reading the horrific case of Sarah Everard who was abducted in London by a police officer a few years ago. He was only caught thanks to footage of him arresting her from an adjacent car’s camera. Otherwise she would have been yet another missing person’s case in London where she subsequently vanished.
Yes, I agree Andrew would have paid for himself. It seems an independent-thinking trip even if he was potentially planning to meet someone else. I so hope Andrew’s family get answers one day.
I use to go meet girls off the internet at his age, I suppose looking back I didn’t tell my parents to much and ended up in a few strange places. UK has better public transit than where I grew up. I went to London as a full sized adult and I had to deal with a cabbie trying to rip me off etc. I can’t imagine what it was like for a kid.
I guess that’s the real kicker on this case, is nobody really knows why he went there, if we only had a hint, it would open so much to us. But we don’t.
Yes exactly, I can’t help but speculate because it’s such a tragic and bizarre case and Andrew’s family deserves answers.
And as you say, we all made mistakes when we were younger and did things our parents had no idea about. That’s why I don’t completely rely on the whole ‘Andrew was a well behaved boy , he wouldn’t do such a thing and never used the internet’ attitude. Of course his parents would say that. He obviously went to London for a reason and maybe one day we will find out why.
I was going to run away when I was his age, my cousin was the one stopped me, I had literally nothing with me, I just stupidly thought I would have made it somehow, I wasn’t in any abused family life or bullied at school, I only didn’t like how my parents were so strict with me! If I had ran away I am sure I would get killed or being trafficked so somewhere!
This is actually a really insightful take. I never thought about these things.
If he used taxi to go to perpetrator there is a big possibility the driver should remember something all these years. (Unless driver died soon after of course)
But it is more possible the taxi driver was the perpetrator.
It is something about taxi drivers. I read a scientific article many years before that London taxi drivers specifically, were among the most intelligent people. In terms they develope new neuron connections in their brains.
So a high intelligent bad actor could immediately sense vulnerability. And if he got the right response in the question:
He could immediately take action.
Yes, I feel bad for raising the idea of black cab drivers being to blame because obviously 99.9% of them decent people who are a fountain of knowledge who uphold the very fabric of the city.
I do wonder how long it took for the police to begin making an appeal for information after Andrew went missing. Taxi drivers pick up hundreds of people a week- had there been a delay in the appeal and his trip could have been long forgotten.
No.
14 year old kids don't use taxis in London
Traffic is horrific in London. The tube is less hassle, and takes you exactly where you need to go for a fraction of the price.
Andrew would probably have known this, and understood black cabs are an unnecessary extravagance.
I think the taxi driver theory has been brought up a few times recently, since an article was published in The Sun earlier this year, which mentioned that the black cab rapist, John Worboys, apparently told an inmate that he killed a "15 year old boy with glasses" who got into his taxi.
https://archive.ph/qI5YW
Or maybe he could've taken a bus?
Okay I’ve just seen a post below discussing the possibility of a ‘dodgy’ taxi driver, I’m not necessarily claiming this but just that the cash was intended for a taxi trip. However, a comment suggested this has never happened in the UK- grooming gangs have been known to operate from Taxis in the UK. Just a thought:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-oxfordshire-33626566?app-referrer=deep-link
Another more recent article about this:
Fears children at risk due to taxi driver licensing https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cr54pm5pj65o