Moses David spent an hour at Boulders Shopping Centre, only to drive away in an allegedly tampered-with vehicle.
David said his car was broken into on 29 June at the centre and claimed that a man, who was standing with a car guard, may have tried to jam and open his vehicle – luckily he returned before anything was taken.
He said, “When we returned to the parking lot two men, a car guard and man in plain clothes were standing close to our vehicle. The man who was not a guard had a screwdriver in his hand. At the time I did not think much about it as the men greeted us like nothing was wrong.
Read: Midrand police tips to avoid vehicle-related crimes
“As I drove off, a warning came on that the driver’s door was not closed, yet I had closed the door. I stopped, opened and shut the door and the message remained. I then instantly knew that something had happened while I was away.
“I spoke to someone from centre management who said I must leave my contact details and they will get in touch with me regarding the complaint but no one contacted me.”
David took his vehicle to Galliga Auto Body in Halfway House and owner of the auto shop, Jose Barros confirmed to Midrand Reporter that the vehicles was tampered with. He stated, “The central-locking system is not working on the right front door; it is remote-controlled so someone could have jammed the vehicle as the unit is not operational at this point.”
In a statement, Boulders Shopping Centre management said, “We can confirm that an incident occurred at Boulders Mall where a customer indicated that his vehicle was tampered with while he was running errands at the mall.
“We are currently investigating the incident and will extend our fullest co-operation with all relevant authorities. We take all necessary precautions to ensure everyone feels safe in our retail environments but continue to urge shoppers to be mindful and remain vigilant at all times and report any suspicious behaviour to the onsite security.”
Read: Tyre tips that everyone can use
Midrand police issued the following tips for motorists to avoid their cars being broken into:
- Do not leave valuables in plain view
- Do not leave windows or sunroof open
- Do not leave doors unlocked
- Do not leave keys in the vehicle
- Do not leave the garage opener in plain view
- Do not leave out items with personal information
- Do not move valuable items to the boot in the public view
- Slow down and use common sense before you leave your car.
Read: Tips to avoid car jamming
