A VW Polo Vivo was stolen from a complex in Constantia Kloof and residents, Sifiso and Ursula Tshabalala, believe that the complex’s security guard ‘assisted’ with the theft.
About 6am on 27 July, Sifiso Tshabalala, discovered his car was missing and reported it to the guard on duty. A shift change had occurred and the new guard on duty pressed the panic button in the guard’s hut to alert Dowry Security, the security company for the complex, of the incident.
Footage from the security cameras on the complex boom gate showed the security guard letting Tshabalala’s car out of the complex at about 4am.
The guard on duty during the incident has since apologised to the Tshabalala family. The Tshabalalas feel it was the negligence of the security guard that enabled the thieves to steal their car.
Shareholder of Dowry Security, Harm Botha, said the guard on duty had been given an instruction to open the gate for Tshabalala as his remote was broken on a previous occasion. Following this instruction, the guard opened the gate for Tshabalala’s vehicle on the morning of 27 July.
Tshabalala agrees he did ask the guard to let him in and out of the complex on 26 July because he did not have his remote on him. Miscommunication between the guard and the residents caused the guard to continue to open the gate for the vehicle.
Botha confirmed that residents are required to enter and leave the premises with a remote. The activity of visitors and residents who do not have a remote are recorded in an access control book. Botha added Dowry Security is certified with PSiRA, the Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority, and follows their recommended practices.
According to Roodepoort Police a case was opened and was transferred to Florida Police for further investigation.
Details: Dowry Security, 086 111 2555.
