The Westdene and Melville community patrollers have reportedly been investing a lot of their own time and vehicles in the evenings to secure suspected smash-and-grab hotspots off Beyers Naudé at Judith Road and Thomas Bowler Street.
These community patrollers go about working in shifts to make sure that the surrounding areas stay safe and secure.
Westdene Community Patrol member Bradley Dew said the initiative has seen positive results.
“Since last year, we have been making our presence known at these hotspots. The number of smash-and-grab incidents seem to have declined tremendously.”
A lot of effort has been put into organising shifts for community patrols to monitor these problematic areas.
“All the residents in the surrounding areas should be aware that the corner of Beyers Naudé and Judith Street is still a very dangerous intersection. Smash-and-grab events can initially appear to be very unassuming until things go down. Be vigilant and careful out there,” advised Dew.
WATCH: Witkoppen Road smash-and-grab incident.
Road safety organisation Arrive Alive offers the following safety tips when driving through suspected smash-and-grab hotspots.
- Lock all your doors and close the windows when driving – never open vehicle windows or doors for strangers.
- Avoid opening your windows or getting involved in discussions with street vendors or anyone handing out flyers.
- Be constantly on the lookout for suspicious looking characters.
- Always be conscious of your surroundings and remain alert when approaching an intersection or stopping your vehicle.
- Be wary of people standing at intersections. They may be innocent but perpetrators mix with these people while waiting for an opportunity to pounce.
- If you encounter obstacles such as rocks or tyres, do not get out of your vehicle to remove them. Immediately reverse and drive off in the opposite direction.
- If it’s late at night, slow down well in advance so that the traffic light changes green by the time you reach the intersection.
- Leave a gap between you and the car in front of you to give room to escape (ie drive away from the scene), if anything should happen.
- Be especially wary whenever you see broken glass lying on the road. If the pieces of glass are still scattered across the road, chances are a smash-and-grab occurred just recently.
