Smash and grabbers target Paulshof

Witkoppen Road in Paulshof has become a hot spot for smash and grabs with up to four incidents happening in the area on the same night.

On 10 June the Paulshof Security Initiative posted a warning on their Facebook page, which was sent to them from a resident. The post warned that the resident had just witnessed three smash and grabs on Witkoppen Road near St Peter's Preparatory. The resident said that the suspects then ran into the road where a car was waiting for them.

Later that evening a motorist, who wished to be identified only as 'Annie', was leaving a friend's house in Paulshof and turning from Witkoppen Road onto Main Road, when she became a victim of a smash and grab. Annie explained that this was the second smash and grab that she's experienced in the Fourways area. “After the first one I got the smash and grab film put onto my windows which made me feel safe,” she said. However while the glass stuck together the window still broke and the suspects were able to grab Annie's handbag from the floor of the passenger side. Annie explained that the force which the suspect used to break the passenger window was so great that the window ended up on her lap. “I just feel so angry that this had to happen again,” she said. “I feel like I can't live my life because I'm always looking over my shoulder.”

Captain Kym Cloete, head of communications for the Sandton police, said that the intersections of Witkoppen Road are hotspots for smash and grabs, specifically from 4pm to 8pm. “Keep valuables out of sight and report suspicious behaviour to 10111,” she added.