Vehicle thieves are not hitting the brakes
Vehicle owners of eMalahleni are warned to remain vigilant, as thieves are putting pedal to the metal.
In two days, five drivers of eMalahleni fell victim to car thieves who seem desperate for a spot in the driver’s seat.
The thieving spree commenced on the afternoon of August 5 at a local hospital. It is believed that a man parked his vehicle, a Toyota Fortuner, at the hospital and, when he came back, noticed that one of his locks was broken.
Thieves did not rest in the morning hours of August 6 either, when another attempt at theft hit the road in Reyno Ridge.
It is alleged that a man woke up to get ready for work when, to his ‘surprise’, he noticed that his gate was open.
He went to his vehicle and discovered that the lock on the door at the driver’s side was tampered with.
When he opened the door, he noticed that the ignition was damaged.
In the afternoon hours of the same day, attempts changed into three successes.
The first incident occurred at a local hardware store. It is believed that a man parked his
Toyota Hilux and exited his vehicle to shop.
As he was walking, he allegedly noticed that the lights of his vehicle were on and an unknown male was inside.
It is believed that the man tried to close the gate to prevent the suspect from driving away and that another man driving a Volkswagen Polo behind the Hilux pointed at him with a firearm.
The suspects fled from the scene.
The vehicle is believed to be new with no number plate, and the man was driving with a permit.
The next theft happened on Maria Street when a woman parked her white Toyota Fortuner at work and went in to perform her duties.
When she wanted to fetch her children in the afternoon, she discovered that her vehicle is missing.
For thieves, there is clearly no such thing as sacred or holy grounds, as the third successful attempt occurred at a local church.
It is believed that a woman parked her blue Toyota Hilux in the church’s parking area with her doors locked and windows closed.
She wanted to fetch something from her vehicle during lunch but noticed it was gone when she went to the parking area.
Spokesperson for Witbank Police, Sgt David Ratau said that “People must try to install trackers, gear locks and alarms in their vehicles. If possible, drivers must at least get a steering wheel lock even if they have an alarm. If you have a steering wheel lock, it is not as easy for thieves to steal your car. Thieves are working on time when they steal, and struggling with a steering wheel lock takes too much of their time.”
The SAPS suggest the following safety tips when parking or driving your vehicle, amongst others: Avoid parking your motor vehicle where no security officers are guarding vehicles.
Ensure that all the doors and windows are properly locked when you park your vehicle.
Keep the doors locked and windows closed at all times.
If in doubt about the safety of an area, phone a police station for advice.
Always lock the doors and close the windows when getting out of the car, and have your keys ready in your hand as you approach your car, especially if they are difficult to find in your handbag.
The message to the community is clear: Thieves have a liking for Toyota Fortuners and Toyota Hilux bakkies, and no place, whether holy or not, is off-limits for them to take one.
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