Bonaero becomes smash and grab hotspot

KEMPTON Park SAPS has issued a warning to residents to be aware of their surroundings when driving, following a number of smash and grab incidents.

According to Captain Jethro Mtshali, spokesman for Kempton Park SAPS, they have had a number of smash and grab cases reported, especially in Bonaero Park and Kempton Park extensions 1 and 2.

“That’s why we’d like to warn residents, especially when driving late at night, to not keep their valuable items such as handbags and laptops on the passenger seat or anywhere visible to criminals. Rather keep your things in the boot,” Mtshali said.

He said victims of this kind of crime were mainly women because they carried handbags.

This warning comes after two incidents of smash and grab occurred in Bonaero Park on the same night on March 28. In one incident the criminals managed to get away with a woman’s cell phone and handbag, which had everything in it, including her ID, bank cards and driver’s licence.

The woman had stopped at the intersection of Dann and Great North roads at about 7.30pm when her window was smashed and her bag was stolen by the criminals.

After another incident in the same area, Jeanne Fryer wants to raise concern about the area after criminals attempted rob her son at around 8.30pm.

“My son had stopped at a red traffic light at the intersection of Bonaero Drive and Atlas Road, just off the R21.

“My concern is that the lighting is bad and the grass is long at those intersections. It is very easy for criminals to target cars,” Fryer said.

Fryer is pleading with the municipality to do something about the area as it is very dangerous for the community.

Both cases were reported at Kempton Park Police Station, but unfortunately Fryer’s son was unable to describe the suspects as he did not see the people who attempted to attack him.