Heroes of the day

The escalation of crime in the area was recently highlighted when a very brave resident, Candice Watson, gave chase after she noticed criminals fleeing with stolen goods.

Many members of the public, who saw the chase, turned a blind eye.

Watson was on her way home from Steve’s Spar recently when she turned into Mozart Road. She heard a woman screaming, followed by an alarm going off. “When I stopped to find where the screaming had come from, I saw a man in black overalls in a tree, almost directly above my head, holding a TV and other appliances,” she said.

He jumped down and landed directly in front of her. After she confronted him, he started running down St Helene Road with the stolen goods. Watson gave chase and tried to stop him. “I saw four more men in overalls jump over the wall.”

She shouted at a man who also seemed to be chasing after them. “I was confused when he jumped into his bakkie and drove off at a very high speed. I then realised he was working with the robbers,” she said.

In spite of the confusion, Watson continued chasing the suspect with the stolen goods under his arms. “Just as I… tackled him, my flip-flop twisted, sending me falling to the ground.” The suspect managed to regain his balance and get out of her grip. He ran through heavy traffic, straight across the intersection, crossing over Beyers Naudé and full-speed up Mountainview Avenue.

“I was so disgusted by the general public who saw that a crime had taken place and turned a blind eye. A man running with appliances under his arms made it rather obvious,” said Watson, adding that she hurt herself so badly, she couldn’t walk for nearly a week.

She was, however, grateful for the three men who assisted her. “A very brave car guard at Steve’s Spar, Wilfred Otukile, helped me with the chase and then checked if anyone was injured or tied up at the house where the robbery took place.”

Otukile said humbly, “She was a woman who looked like she was in trouble, I had to help her.”

Leon Peach from CCTV Security and Surveillance and Leon van Zyl from Dr Fixit also tried to assist.

Watson said the crime in the area has increased and that she knows of nine incidents in the past two months. Linden Police Station spokesperson, Captain Walter Spencer, confirmed that crime has, indeed, increased in the area. “Residents must make use of their alarm systems and make sure they are always working.” He added that neighbours must get to know one another and assist when there is trouble.

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