Don’t walk alone, warns Umbilo CPF

UMBILO Community Policing Forum (CPF) is warning the public to not walk alone in the community. 

This comes after Heather Roos, CPF chair, said she had noted an increase in cases where people walking on the road were being followed by ‘suspicious’ people in cars.

“There have been cases reported to me where people are being followed when walking. One case was reported to me where a woman was walking home from Queensmead Mall and noticed she was being followed by a vehicle. She managed to get the attention of a woman who was nearby, and asked if she could walk with her rather than alone,” she said.

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Roos said in a recent incident, a young man was walking in York Avenue when a car pulled up and the occupants tried to pull him into the vehicle. 

“We are warning people not to walk alone, if possible, and to be aware of their surroundings. People should not walk with earphones in their ears, as they are not aware of what is going on around them, and criminals are able to see that they have a cellphone on them as the earphones are connected to this device. Take note of what is happening around you and be alert,” she said.