Where our safety is concerned, we tend to follow our instincts to keep us out of trouble. However, when it comes to interacting with strangers, it is sometimes difficult to know what’s right. We must be careful not to make assumptions too quickly. One particular man, a taxi driver from Bicester, acted on his instincts and became a hero as a result.
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When this taxi driver got up for work that morning, he expected it to be just another day at the office, driving customers around and making small talk, he didn’t expect that he would become someone’s hero. Read on to find out how the instincts of this man saved a young girl from abduction. You never know, you might learn something from it.
Another Day At The Office
Satbir Arora was driving around Oxfordshire one regular Tuesday afternoon in search of potential passengers. It was a day like any other. However, little did he know that his life was about to be changed and he was about to save the life of another.
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Arora pulled over when a young girl he passed signalled for him to stop. This seemed perfectly normal to him, so he unlocked the car doors to allow her to get in. Little did he know, he had just taken a huge risk which had the potential to end in complete disaster.
Something Was Wrong
At first, this seemed perfectly normal to Arora. It was nothing out of the ordinary for a young person to ask for a ride somewhere. She looked around the age of 13 and was wearing her school uniform. He quite often took children to and from school. When she got in the taxi, she politely requested that he take her to Gloucestershire station.
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Arora was surprised by this. She seemed very young to be going to the station on her own. He also observed that she seemed to be quite worried about something. He wondered whether he should ask her whether there was something wrong.
Feeling Uneasy
The station she had requested he take her to was also over an hour from Oxfordshire, where he had picked up the girl. Something didn’t add up. Arora felt very uneasy, but all she had done was ask him to take her to an unlikely destination so he didn’t really have a leg to stand on.
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He was aware that it wasn’t any of his business where his passenger wanted to be taken, but he couldn’t shake this anxious feeling. Why would a young school girl be taking the taxi to a destination which was over an hour away? It didn’t make sense.
Growing Concerned
Arora had a strong feeling that her parents weren’t aware of what their daughter was doing. It seemed unlikely to him that any parent would let their young daughter take a taxi to a destination that far away on their own. He thought that perhaps she might have lied to them about her whereabouts.
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His mind was racing with potential explanations. He observed that the girl still seemed worried. He thought that it might be wise to try and have a conversation with her and get some answers. He started chatting to her and asked her why she was going so far from home. However, he was a stranger after all, so she might not trust him with the truth.
Questions
This was standard behaviour for Arora. He often tended to have conversations with his passengers, especially on long journeys. This girl didn’t seem to want to fully engage though, she seemed distracted and tense. He was sure that she wouldn’t give him much information.
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At first the girl didn’t respond at all, instead she sat silently in the back of the car. This made Arora even more keen to know more, so he continued to ask her questions throughout the journey. He asked her where it was she intended to go from Gloucestershire Station.
Cryptic Responses
Since the driver didn’t seem at all threatening, the girl finally decided to answer his questions. He came across as insistent, but very friendly. When she gave her answer, Arora became even more suspicious and concerned about the situation.
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She revealed very little in her reply. She explained that she was going to visit a friend, but didn’t say much more about who this friend was or how she knew him or her. This vague answer prompted more questions from the driver. “Do your parents know about this?” he asked.
Suspicious
The girl seemed to get quite agitated by this question and responded defensively, saying that her parents knew exactly where she was headed. Arora nodded, but he knew she was lying. Her body language and tone of voice said it all.
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As Arora continued to ask more questions, growing ever concerned, the girl became still more defensive. However, he was determined to get a real answer from her. He wouldn’t stop until he did. What information did this girl need to give in order to reassure the driver?
He Had To Know The Truth
Arora knew that it would be inappropriate to ask his passenger for her personal details. This was not a question you tended to ask as a taxi driver and would likely make a passenger feel unsafe. He was very aware of this, but he felt that this situation was exceptional.
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His instincts were telling him that something was very wrong. He was determined to get to the bottom of it. Why would a young girl be travelling over an hour away alone in the middle of the afternoon? She must have been in some kind of danger. After a while, the girl stopped answering his questions. He thought that he had perhaps taken it too far, but he was only acting out of concern.
Waiting For A “Friend”
Upon arriving at Gloucestershire station, Arora felt even more uncomfortable and anxious. He was afraid of what might happen to this girl if he let her get out of the taxi on her own. He couldn’t decide what the right thing to do would be.
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When she arrived at the station, the girl seemed to be looking out for someone. Arora asked who it was that she was looking for, to which she responded “a friend.” She grabbed her backpack and quickly got out of the taxi. She reassured Arora that her friend would be there soon to pay him for the ride.
Getting Angry
Once she had got out of the taxi, Arora refused to let the girl out of his sight. At this point, he was totally convinced that something was very wrong. The girl seemed to get angry as he watched her. He couldn’t leave now, he was far too invested.
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Arora felt that he had an obligation to stay and make sure that this girl was okay. He remained there, his eyes glued to her. He needed a second opinion. He gave his wife a call to see what she would say. He hoped that she would be able to advise him on what to do.
Getting A Second Opinion
Arora’s wife was also a taxi driver, so he thought she might have some good insight into the situation. He didn’t think he could make this decision on his own. What if he had got it completely wrong? He would tell her everything and see how she responded.
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While he explained the situation, in detail, to his wife, he continued to observe the girl to ensure that she was safe. When he finished telling his wife the whole story, she also expressed concern at the situation, agreeing that the girl’s behaviour was suspicious. What could be the reason for all this?
Getting His Wife Involved
Arora’s wife had an idea. She should speak to the girl. She might be more comfortable talking to a woman than him. When she expressed this, Arora agreed that this was a good idea. She might be able to get some information out of the girl more easily.
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Arora proceeded to open his window and call the girl over to the taxi. Would she trust him and come? Would she be happy to speak to his wife? It was worth a try. He couldn’t just sit there and do nothing, he would regret it if he didn’t make sure that she was safe.
Giving In
The girl looked as if she was getting very impatient waiting at the station. This “friend” she spoke of hadn’t turned up. Arora beckoned for her to come over and asked whether she would speak to his wife while she waited. She initially refused, but Arora ultimately managed to convince her.
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The girl, evidently confused at this request, took the phone reluctantly from the driver. Would his wife manage to get her to talk? Perhaps the couple would be able to save her from what might be a dangerous situation. Arora certainly hoped so.
Asking Questions
“Hello?” said the girl, holding the phone to her ear. Arora wanted to know what his wife was saying to her. He tried to listen in to the conversation. His wife seemed to be asking the same questions as he had originally asked the girl in the taxi.
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“Do your parents really know where you’re going?” she asked. There was a pause as the girl decided what to say. Whatever it was that she wanted to say, she was afraid to say it. Arora was sure that this girl was in some kind of trouble, but would they be able to help her?
Reassuring Words
While Arora’s wife was concerned, she tried not to let this come across in her voice as she spoke to the little girl. She continued to ask her questions and reassured her that she knew what it was like to feel alone and the best thing to do was to be open about things. These kind words were enough to convince the girl to tell the truth.
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The girl plucked up the courage to be honest. She told Arora’s wife that no, her parents did not know where she was. She also told her that she was stressed about the situation she was in. The couple contacted the police. This girl was a minor so it was the right thing to do.
Who Was She Waiting For?
Arora immediately contacted the police. He spoke to the girl again while they were waiting for the police officers to arrive. In the hope that she would tell him the truth this time, he asked her who it was that she was waiting for.
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At this point, the girl was feeling a little more comfortable around the taxi driver. She felt compelled to tell the truth and explained that she had come to meet a friend who she had met online. This confirmed what Arora had been worried about.
She Needed Protection
When Arora heard this, he knew that he had to stay and protect the girl from a potential predator. This girl would be alone and completely unprotected otherwise. He had to help her. Meanwhile, this so-called “friend” of hers, was about to make an appearance.
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A man named Sam Hewings had just arrived at the station. He was just 24 years old. He was holding a backpack tightly to his chest. He appeared to be searching the crowds for someone in particular. He was waiting for a young girl. Could this be her?
Suspicious Behaviour
While Hewings was looking for the girl he was supposed to be meeting, he noticed a couple of police cars pull up in front of the station. This panicked him and he tried to find a way to get away as quickly as possible and avoid drawing any attention to himself.
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Why was this man so worried about this police presence? Was he guilty of a crime? This behaviour was certainly suspicious. People don’t tend to want to get away from the police unless they have committed an illegal act… either way, his behaviour was suspicious.
Telephone Call
The taxi driver had an idea. He asked the girl if he could borrow her phone to call the “friend” she was supposed to be meeting. He figured this wasn’t an unreasonable request, since she had said that this “friend” would give him the money for the taxi ride.
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The girl felt a little panicked. However, one look at the driver’s friendly face reassured her and she handed the phone over. She wasn’t sure exactly what his intentions were but she decided to trust him. Was he somehow trying to trick this man?
Mysterious Phone Call
As he was about to leave the station, Hewing’s’ phone rang. His mind was so distracted from the stress of seeing the police car, that he answered the phone without considering the potential consequences of his actions. After picking up the phone, he realised the risk and proceeded to hang up without uttering a word.
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Despite this, the caller made no effort to ring him back. While he was slightly confused at this, he soon dismissed it from his mind. But what happened next? Continue reading to discover the truth about Hewings, a truth which may never have been discovered if Arora hadn’t made this phone call.
Caught In The Act
Hewings was completely oblivious to the fact that his actions were being recorded on the stations’ CCTV cameras. The footage would later count as evidence concerning who this man was and what his intentions were to the authorities.
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The police were also able to trace his phone number. They were determined to find out exactly what was going on and why this man had arranged to meet this innocent little girl. Who was Sam Hewings really? Why was it essential that he be arrested as soon as possible?
Discovering The Truth
When Sam Hewings was identified, the authorities found out more information about him that would give them further clues. They discovered that Hewings had booked two train tickets, one for himself and one children’s ticket, with his hometown as the destination.
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The most terrifying discoveries were found on his online chat profile. They revealed what he planned to do with this poor child. He was clearly a very twisted person. Fortunately, he was stopped before he could put any of these horrifying plans into action.
Court Appearance
A short time later, Hewings would present himself before the Gloucestershire Criminal Court. The information taken from his online account would count as evidence against him. After examining all the evidence, the authorities discovered that he had been posting on forums that only people with cruel intentions would post on. It soon transpired that they were dealing with a pedophile.
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This poor child had fallen victim to his disturbing behaviour and, had Arora not turned up, she most likely wouldn’t have been able to escape his clutches. What we reveal next will be sure to make you reconsider your online presence…
More Discoveries
In addition to the confirmation that this man was a pedophile, the authorities also found out that he had been a participant in some very sinister online groups. On these groups, he had outlined his intentions to kidnap, drug and rape children.
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As the authorities did more digging into this man’s background, their discoveries became more and more horrific. While all of this started off as just a wild idea for Hewings, his interactions with the young girl meant that he had been scarily close to putting his disturbing plans into action. For this young girl, it would have ended in tragedy.
Inside The Backpack
The police wasted no time in their investigation into Hewings and his life. They quickly obtained a warrant to search his house. They came across the backpack that he had been wearing the day he turned up to Gloucestershire station and proceeded to open it up. What they found when they opened it up revealed Hewings horrific plan.
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Opening the backpack revealed two knives, a box filled with codeine-laced Tylenol, an extremely powerful sedative, and a roll of duct tape. This evidence was extremely incriminating for Hewings. His intentions were undeniable. Hewings appeared before the court shortly after this discovery to await the judge’s verdict.
What Happened In Court
Hewings was sent to the Gloucestershire Assize Court. “From September to November of last year, your profiles on chat sites revealed your pedophile tendencies and plans,” stated Judge Michael Cullum. “You said, ‘I have a daughter in mind but I have to kidnap her,'” the judge added.
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Despite the fact that Hewings had not managed to carry out his plan, this is not to say that he wouldn’t have done. His intentions to abduct the girl were very clear, so he was in no way innocent. The evidence so far was completely against him.
Arora Saved The Day
The judge stated that Sam Hewings plans to abduct the girl were evident. Hewings had managed to convince this young girl that he cared about her and would keep her safe. She had trusted him and accepted his invitation to come to Gloucestershire to see him.
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She owed her safety to Satbir Arora. What a hero! Without him stepping in, this little girl would have suffered enormously at the hands of Hewings. What might have happened to her is unthinkable. Thanks to Arora’s intuition and kindness, the girl was able to return home unharmed.
Beneficial Training
The girl initially had intentions to leave in the morning of the day before she got into Arora’s taxi. She was very fortunate to have come across Arora. He later explained that he had been concerned from the beginning about this girl’s wellbeing.
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Arora also revealed that he had actually participated in some training just a few months before this day concerning the safety of his passengers. He had learned what signs to look for which indicate that a person might be in danger. This training was clearly very effective and is a factor which contributed to saving the life of this young girl.
Recognition
What is most admirable, is the fact that it was Arora who decided to take part in this training. “The training was extremely useful to me. Thanks to the courses I took, I was able to recognise the signs and quickly understand that something was wrong,” Arora explained in an interview.
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His strength of character and wisdom have meant that he has been recognised as a hero. He received the highest award from the Gloucestershire Police. He did not do this for the recognition! He couldn’t have been happier that the girl was now safe.
Safety First
The taxi driver was praised by detective Ian Bennett for his heroic act. “I can’t thank the taxi driver enough for his actions in this case. He undoubtedly prevented serious injuries to the girl and provided vital evidence for the trial.”
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Following this event, Bennett made a statement encouraging all taxi drivers to undergo the protective training that Arora had participated in, since taxi drivers often find that they aren’t equipped when situations like this arise. We hope that all taxi drivers follow this advice to make the world a safer place!