Community takes on robber

A CARELESS robber was caught and arrested by his own community after stealing a pendant and chain from a woman’s neck on Crompton Street in Pinetown yesterday.

Kloof resident, Cathy McCall, was driving her white BMW down Crompton Street in Pinetown on Thursday 8 May around 1.15pm, when she stopped at the robot. She was approached by a man who knocked on her window and pointed to her back right tyre. She shewed him off and looked in her review and side mirror to see if he was still lurking around her car. He was no where in sight. But according to a witness the man was hiding behind a taxi.

Afraid that there might actually be something wrong with her tyre, Cathy drove nearer to the taxi next to her and rolled down her window slightly to ask the taxi driver if he could take a look at her tyre. “Before he could reply, a hand came through my car window, hit my chin before grabbing my pendant on my necklace and fleeing,” said Cathy.

She said she pursued the robber in her car while shouting out what just happened to people in the community. They ran after the robber.

Cathy followed the robber into the back of a shopping mall, kicked off her shoes and ran after him barefoot. By the time she got there, members of the community had caught the robber in an alley.

“Members of the community surrounded the robber and asked me if he was the same man, I said yes and then said I just want my pendant back. The robber then opened his right hand and gave me my pendent,” said Cathy.

She added that his actions confirmed his intention and connection to the crime, which angered the community. Two police officers who were at the same robot as Cathy saw what happened and followed Cathy to the scene. They intervened and arrested the robber and also accompanied Cathy to the Pinetown police station to assist her in opening a case.

“I want to thank the community for coming to my aid and helping me retrieve my pendant, the two police officers, Const Hlengiwe Msomi and Sgt Mvuselelo Cele from the Mariannhill SAPS for assisting in the arrest and Andrew Cox who witnessed the incident and came to my aid,” said Cathy.

She is also urging the public to be more vigilant of their surroundings and this kind of modus operandi used by criminals.

“The good that came out of this whole incident is seeing the community take a stand against crime. This community is tired of sitting back and watching criminals target innocent people. They are tired of the crime and have started to stand up for themselves. Good for you,” said Cathy.

Lt Bongumusa Manqele, communications officer at Pinetown SAPS said the suspect aged 20, was charged for common robbery and will appear in the Pinetown Magistrate’s Court soon.