A DERRY pizza company says he has been forced to put up the price of his food following a massive hike in its insurance premiums.
Six times thugs have targeted Paolo’s Pizza vans as they make deliveries across Derry.
During the worst incident in June, one of his drivers was left traumatised after three masked men threatened to shoot him if he did not hand over his van.
The man’s 14-year-old daughter, who was a passenger in the van at the time, was left “badly shaken” after they were forced out of the vehicle in the Glenowen area.
After ordering the driver and the young girl out of the vehicle, the hijackers made off in the van which was later found burnt out at Central Drive in Creggan.
It has emerged the van driver initially struggled with the hijackers and handed over the vehicle after they threatened to “kneecap” him.
Pizza boss owner Paolo McShane says made a public appeal to the thugs begging them to leave his vans along.
He says it is has been almost impossible to get his vehicles insured because of the spate of incidents.
Said Paolo: “Our van insurance needed renewed yesterday and we tried every company we could think of.
“Not one company would take us on.
“Our present company decided to renew at a very expensive rate.
“Our vans are being destroyed every year and this as cost us to date £32,000 in higher premiums.
“We have no choice but try and recoup it by increasing our charge slightly.
“The people who are doing this do not realise the damage it’s doing and costing and affects everyone including staff and customers.
“Should it reoccur we will have trouble securing insurance in the future.
“PLEASE LEAVE OUR VANS ALONE!”
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