CrimeWatch report for 12th January 2010

Not a good start to the year… this is no time for complacency – there are real criminals out there at work in Kalk Bay and St James. Please keep a sharp look-out, guard yourselves and your possessions.

FROM: David Just, 179 Main Road, Kalk Bay.

There was an attempted break-in at 258 Main Road, Kalk Bay on Sat 9 Jan. The alarm was triggered by the magnet on the the front gate. The perpetrators had scaled the security gate and used a crowbar to prise open the front door. No one was at home and ADT were on the scene within minutes. Earlier the neighbour had been stopped from entering her garage by two well dressed men in a white Toyota bakkie with the word “EXCEL” on the back. .  She spoke to them and they said that they had been for a walk. They got into the bakkie and drove off. Later the bakkie was seen next door at 258 in the driveway. Shortly thereafter the alarm went off and was heard by the neighbour. The door was extensively damaged by the crowbar but the perpetrators were not able to get it open because of the large bolts. They did however break the Yale lock. The matter will be reported to the police. ADT were excellent and spent a long time on the scene.  They also reported fully to the owners.

FROM: Don Yeowell. Behr Road, Kalk Bay.

In the early hours of this morning (12 Jan) a systematic burlarising took place in Behr Road. Five cars within a twenty metre radius were broken into, all had their left rear quarterlight windows smashed. Interiors were trashed but only one radio and a spotlight appeared to have been stolen. As far as can be established there was only one thief operating. He was seen by one of the residents attempting to penetrate the rear sliding window of a Mazda bakkie and chased off. This was at around three in the morning. At that time the resident was unaware of the other damage but as dawn broke the full extent of the damage was revealed.

The thief was dressed in black pants and track-suit top, wore a distinctive pale flat cap and was smoking a cigarette as he went about his work. As he departed the scene he took with him a white plastic shopping bag. He disappeared down Main Road in the direction of the Harbour. Mountain Men control room were informed at the time in the hopes of picking him up but when contacted at seven this morning we were told the thief had eluded capture.

Muizenberg police were called at about seven in the morning (after the discovery of the full scale of the damage) and arrived within seven minutes. Appreciation to Captain MacKinnon and his sergeant, who took statements quickly and efficiently and phoned us back within the hour with case numbers.