HAVING your car stolen is an extremely stressful situation but being a given hope that you might just get it back at a cost by a person claiming to be a police officer is outrageous.
Hillcrest resident, Malcolm Webster, has encountered so many trying moments since his car was stolen at a popular market and wants to warn people to prevent future crimes of this nature.
After seeing the advertisement for the Market at the Meadow in Hillcrest, Webster said they decided to attend on Saturday, 30 November.
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Webster told the Highway Mail that he arrived there at about 9am and parked his white VW Polo 14:00 cc hatchback in a designated parking area, locked the car and checked it was locked and then proceeded to the market.
“After spending plus/minus 15 minutes in the market, we proceeded back to the area where we parked our car, which, unfortunately was not there. Gone! Stolen! On contacting one of the organisers of the event, we were completely stunned at his attitude and his reply on informing him of the theft. He said: ‘What do you expect me to do about it. No sympathy no reaction, nothing. He just carried on with what he was doing,” said Webster.
While phoning the police, Webster said he was approached by a very distraught young woman who informed him that her car was also stolen from the same car park and within the same time period. “And, she was given the same cold-hearted reply.”
“My son, who was present, asked the organiser why at such event did he have no security/car guards posted in the car park. He said: ‘Where do you think I am going to get car guards from?’ he then became quite agitated and walked off leaving the young lady in tears,” said Webster.
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Webster said he had contacted Blue Security who soon arrived on the scene and spoke to him and the young lady. “The response officer took our particulars and contacted the relevant authorities for us.”
“What should have been a beautiful summer morning visiting a market turned into a horrible event, not just because of the cars that had been stolen but due to the rude, uncaring attitude of the ‘organiser’.”
A few days after this incident, Webster said he received a phone-call from a supposed ‘Capt Khumalo’ from Mpumalanga police saying they had recovered his car and to get it back to Hillcrest, he would have to deposit R2 500 to have it towed back or pay R700 via Pep Cell for petrol for them to drive the car back.
“Obviously it was a scam, but the frightening fact: firstly he could give me the case number, vehicle registration number. plus my cellphone number? It is bad enough for people to have had their car stolen but now you cannot even trust the police,” said Webster who immediately reported this incident to Hillcrest SAPS where his car theft case was opened.
Hillcrest SAPS communications officer, Capt Linzi Smith, confirmed the incident and said a case for theft of motor vehicle was opened at the station.
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Smith said police have noticed a growing trend where cases are being opened for theft of motor vehicle and the complainant in the cases are being contacted with the details of their case by ‘someone claiming to be policeman’.
“The victims are being informed their vehicle has been recovered and that the complainant is responsible for the towing fees up to R3 000 or paying for a tank of petrol. They are requesting that the monies must be transferred via Pep Cell,” explained Smith.
“We wish to inform the community that this is an ongoing scam. At no stage do the police request money for towing fees or petrol from complainants for any and all cases that are under investigation.”
She said should anybody encounter this, police are requesting the complainant to contact their investigating officer immediately and not to pay any money.
Organiser of the market, Cheryl Hughes said they had the market for four years and it was unfortunate that the incident happened.
“It was the first time that we had cars stolen. We do have security but the thing is, the crime is too high in our country. The man came to me and I asked him if he had a tracking device. We called Blue Security but there was nothing more we could have done,” she said.
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