LOCAL business owner Carlos dos Santos, of Lusitano Restaurant and Sports Bar, took a serious blow to his business after R48 000 in cash was stolen from his vehicle, in the parking lot of the Glen Shopping Centre, on Monday, April 4.
Speaking to the CHRONICLE, Santos said he is extremely upset and frustrated that such a substantial amount of money was stolen from his secure vehicle at a well-known and “secure” centre like the Glen.
Santos explained that he had such a large amount of money on him because he had to get a total of nine floats ready, as well money to pay his suppliers (a local butcher, a fruit and vegetable grocer and a supermarket).
He said he left the cash in a black sports kit bag on the floor of his Nissan van, as he has done on numerous occasions previously, and parked the vehicle near the Standard Bank at the Glen, where he was going to attend to more errands.
He returned after no more than 30 minutes, only to find that his vehicle had been tampered with and the kit bag had been stolen.
Recalling his exact route to the Glen, parking spot and the steps he took before the money went missing, Santos expressed his disappointment that the Glen had no security cameras in the vicinity where he parked.
“When I parked my van near Standard Bank I saw a security guard on his Segway scooter and thought that my van would be safe with the money in it,” he said.
”I know that I was not followed, as I live near the Glen. As soon as I realised what had happened I immediately rushed to the control room, calling the security guard on duty, who was nowhere near any cars. I was furious that the Glen has no cameras where I parked.”
Santos raised an important question to the CHRONICLE, asking why he or anyone else must pay for parking at the Glen when their vehicles are not safe.
“I want people to know that we pay so much for parking every time we go to these shopping centres and our vehicles are not safe,” he said.
”The criminals know the areas that have no security cameras and they are targeting vehicles in those areas; the shopping centre should have permanent security where there are no cameras.”
The Glen declined to give any comment.
Moffat View police confirmed that a case of theft out of a motor vehicle had been opened. Police spokeswoman Const Olwethu Nose said: “The matter is still under investigation by W/O CM Mchunu and the complainant will be notified of any developments.”
Watch a video of Santos explaining how his vehicle was tampered with:
