Vehicles not safe at shopping malls

People visit shopping centres to relax and to partake in ‘retail therapy’ but sometimes they are more stressed after shopping. A Roodepoort resident Denise Lindeque, has found parts her vehicles stolen, on three consecutive times at the Featherbrooke Village Shopping Centre. “The first time as I arrived at my vehicle they stole all of my vehicles badges, from the small Opel badge in front to the badges in the centre of the rims. The second time, after I had to replace all of my badges, they stole two of the badges again.” Lindeque said that the final straw occurred when both of her vehicles wing mirror covers were stolen inside the centre’s parking, under the watchful eyes of the guards that were on duty. “I screamed at the guards in outrage and asked them if they noticed what happened. No one blinked an eye and they said that they saw nothing,” explained Lindeque. No comment was received from management at Featherbrooke Village Shopping Centre at time of going to print.

Resident Jaco Geldenhuys’s vehicle was also in jeopardy while he was busy having dinner with his family at Cradlestone Mall. “On 26 March I parked my Toyota Fortuner inside the ‘secure’ parking inside the centre and enjoyed dinner with my family. As I arrived home I noticed that the chain at the bottom of my vehicle was hanging loose and that the spare-wheel was missing. I approached the car guards who were oblivious to the incident they mentioned that the centre is not liable for any damages or losses that my occur to vehicles on their premises.”

General Manager at Cradlestone Mall Cara Grobler said, “As is the case with all other shopping centres and public spaces in a country with high crime levels like South Africa, Cradlestone Mall does experience isolated incidents of theft from cars.”

The Randburg Police spokesperson Johannes Maja said that he has not heard of this type of theft but he urged residents to be vigilant and on the lookout when parking their vehicles outside shopping centres.