Criminals target Glenwood children’s home

FOLLOWING a recent attempted armed robbery at a children’s home in Clark Road, another home in Glenwood has been targeted by criminals.

A vehicle was stolen from a garage at the Durban Child and Youth Care Centre’s (DCYCC) premises in Alan Paton Road at around 3.45am on Friday, 23 October, and incident director, Mandy Goble, says the centre could have done without in a year which has proven to be extremely difficult for the organisation.

“We are on all the community groups and are aware of the concerns regarding crime in the area, and we feel we have taken all the necessary precautions. The vehicle had an alarm, tracking device, was kept in a locked garage on a property with secure fencing and gate,” she said.

Goble said the centre’s CCTV camera footage showed between four and five men entered the premises by cutting the lock from the pedestrian gate on Alan Paton Road. They cut the lock on the garage and bent the gate railing before hooking it off and pulling it open to get the vehicle out of the property.

She said it seemed this was not a random theft. “We feel it was planned as they knew exactly what vehicle they wanted.

They didn’t touch the other two vehicles on the property and we feel it was very much targeted,” she said.

Goble said the vehicle was three-years-old and was a replacement vehicle after their previous one was wrecked in a car accident.

“Iqraa Trust stepped in to cover the short fall when we had to replace our vehicle, and it is unbelievable that at a time when Covid is affecting funding, that this sort of thing could happen. We are extremely concerned with the level of crime in the area, and our children and staff do not feel safe on the property,” she said.

Goble had looked into hiring a security guard, however this would cost tens of thousands of Rands, which the centre could not afford, and she felt that following the recent armed robbery at the children’s home in Clark Road, one guard could not stop criminals.

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“This theft is going to cause added stress, as we are already running at a loss, and will now have to find funds to cover the insurance short fall on the vehicle. We know people are battling financially, but more than asking for assistance, we want to highlight the need for people to be on the alert in the area, and to respond if they see anything happening. It is terrible living in fear and having to be so aware all the time,” she said.

Anyone who can assist is urged email mandy@dch.org.za or 031 201 1301 to find out more on how you can help.

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