Multiple robberies and attempted robberies have allegedly taken place at the traffic lights at the intersection of the R44 and R310 roads in Tenantville, Stellenbosch, in the month of September.
Multiple robberies and attempted robberies have allegedly taken place at the traffic lights in Tenantville, Stellenbosch, at the intersection of the R44 and R310 roads, in the month of September, according to Lt Col Laetitia Hans, station commander of Cloetesville police station. PHOTO: Kirsty Bucholz
This was according to Lt Col Laetitia Hans, station commander of Cloetesville police station.
“This office can confirm that a few incidents have occurred at [traffic] robots, but none reported by [the] community,” said Lt Col Hans.
Lt Col Hans told MatieMedia that high visibility patrols are being conducted on a daily basis at the traffic lights in Tenantville.
Targeting delivery drivers
Shané Genis, a second-year student in speech-language and hearing therapy at Stellenbosch University, told MatieMedia that she witnessed a group of teenage boys attempt to steal food from a Mr D motorbike driver on 18 September at around 17:00.
The Cloetesville police station “can confirm that a few incidents have occurred at robots, but none reported by [the] community”, said Lt Col Laetitia Hans, station commander of Cloetesville police station. PHOTO: Kirsty Bucholz
Just before the incident, Genis had stopped at a set of traffic lights in Tenantville, with a Mr D delivery driver in front of her. There was a group of teenage boys on the left hand side of the road, according to Genis. There was another boy standing in between the cars, who snuck up behind the delivery driver and lifted the lid to his container, she said.
“The driver didn’t notice anything. I immediately saw what was happening [and] hooted. The boy got a fright, and ran to the side of the road where his friends were,” claimed Genis.
No incidents involving young people vandalising or stealing food from delivery motorbikes have been reported to the police, according to Lt Col Hans.
Shané Genis, a Stellenbosch University student, allegedly witnessed the attempted theft of delivery food out of a Mr D driver’s container on 18 September, while waiting at the traffic lights in Tenantville, Stellenbosch. VIDEO: Kirsty Bucholz
However, a Stellenbosch resident, Chriszelda Williams, posted on the Stellenbosch Community Facebook group on 18 September stating that she witnessed similar robberies at the same traffic lights.
“I have seen it many times. The first few times, I reported it to [the] police. But it seems like nothing has been done,” said Williams in the post. Williams could not be reached for comment.
Petro Hough, a resident of Tenantville, Stellenbosch, told MatieMedia that she witnessed an elderly man being mugged by a group of teenage boys at the traffic lights in Tenantville on 17 September. PHOTO: Kirsty Bucholz
Pickpocketing
A resident of Tenantville, Petro Hough, also claims to have witnessed a group of teenage boys stealing from an elderly man at the same traffic lights where the delivery driver was allegedly targeted. The incident took place on 17 September, according to Hough.
As Hough was approaching the traffic lights on her way to Cape Town, she saw a group of boys walking in the middle of the road.
“I saw them approaching this old guy. I could see they were teasing him at first, and he was screaming,” explained Hough.
The group pickpocketed the elderly man, claimed Hough. “They took his stuff. I’m not sure what they took. I just know he was screaming and calling out for help,” she said.
As these incidents have not been reported to Cloetesville police station, it is unconfirmed whether the alleged crimes have been committed by teenagers, according to Lt Col Hans.
Tenantville is situated on the outskirts of Stellenbosch, near Cloetesville. Recently, there have been a number of alleged robberies and attempted robberies taking place at the traffic lights in this area, according to Lt Col Laetitia Hans, station commander of Cloetesville police station. PHOTO: Kirsty Bucholz
MatieMedia reached out to Mr D for comment, but had not received a response at the time of publication.
This is a developing story.