Be cautious with cellphones warns Umbilo SAPS

UMBILO police are encouraging the community to be extra vigilant with cellphone safety after recurring incidents of cellphone theft were reported.

In the latest incident, according to Umbilo SAPS communications officer, Captain Pumzile Makaula, a man was walking along along Esther Roberts (Frere) Road on Sunday afternoon when he was approached by a man who walked past and stopped him to ask for the time.

“The victim did not have a watch and took out his cellphone to check the time. The suspect pulled out a knife and grabbed the cellphone and ran. The victim was lucky because an Umbilo SAPS van was patrolling the area and stopped for the victim to report the theft. The officers ran after the suspect and arrested him for robbery with a knife,” she explained.

Makaula said there was another incident of cellphone theft on Friday morning, 4 November opposite Hutchinson Road near a primary school in Glenmore.

“An Indian man and white woman in a white BMW stopped a woman saying they needed directions. They also asked to use the woman’s cellphone which she handed over, however instead of making a call they drove off with the victim’s phone,” she said.

In an incident last Sunday, a woman was mugged and had her cellphone stolen from Bulwer Park.
Makaula appealed to the community to safeguard their cellphones and try not to leave cellphones exposed when in public. “As we near the festive season a lot of opportunistic criminals will be trying to look for easy targets,” she warned.