Wentworth youth become the latest target for criminals

WENTWORTH police have sent out a stern warning to parents and children following the rise of attempted kidnappings in the community.

The warning comes after three separate incidents where youngsters have been followed and targeted by unidentified men who have attempted to kidnap them. Wentworth police spokesperson, Captain Mbuso Gumede, said the most recent incident took place at Quality Street where a 16 year-old-girl and her cousin were sent to a tuckshop to buy a loaf of bread. “While on their way to the shop, they were stopped by a silver grey VW Polo with two males inside. The car had tinted windows. The driver asked the girl where he could buy alcohol and the girl said she didn’t know. The passenger got out of the car and proceeded to chase after the girls. The girls ran into a nearby house seeking safety. The men then drove off. We suspect that the motive was to distract and kidnap these girls,” said Gumede, adding that a similar incident took place at Assegai Crescent involving a red Toyota Etios with the similar modus operandi.

The main hot spots include Quality Street, Austerville Drive, Assegai Crescent and Croton Road.

Fortunately these attempted kidnappings have been unsuccessful as the targeted victims have been able to get away. However, police wish to sensitise the community on this crime that is slowly finding its way into Wentworth. “Don’t send children alone to shops or distant areas, avoid leaving children unsupervised for long periods of time, teach children not to talk to strangers and be aware of the mentioned vehicles,” urged Gumede.

Ward 68 War Room Secretary, Neil Axford also motivated for proactive parenting and vigilance in the community. “Covid-19 has created a serious economic impact in our country. Everyone is fighting to survive and the criminals are at bay. We’re faced with the threat of human trafficking in our community. It is a crime that has always existed but is now attracting more people as a means to a livelihood. Everything is in our hands as a community, this crime will get worse if we have minors who are not mindful of dangers and their surroundings. We have a crisis here in Wentworth and one of them is parenting. You’ve got to up your game when it comes to parental skills and a sense of responsibility for your children. It’s important that we create awareness that parents must do better at parenting and protecting their children. The predators are on the prowl, don’t send your child to the lion’s den. If we let our guard’s down, our children will become prey to all these human traffickers. We need our parents to do better,” said Axford.

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