Some runners and walkers in Camps Bay are calling for more police visibility following an alleged spree of robberies near Victoria Road.
Sharon King, a visitor to Cape Town, claims that while on a morning run through the area she was attacked by three young men.
The Durban resident says she often goes for a run whenever she is in Cape Town.
“I do the promenade walk from Sea Point to Camps Bay regularly. When I reached Camps Bay by the Bowls green, I could see three guys walking and they walked slowly towards me and then they started walking faster. I knew straight away that there was a problem. When they reached me, I told them I will give them money and they said they don’t want money, they want my cellphone.”
King explained that her cellphone was visible because she had taken off her jacket.
“My fighting instincts just kicked in and I did not release the phone. Within minutes I was on the ground and all three of them were fighting with me. I heard one of them say ‘I have a knife’ so they cut the string to get to the phone and cut me in the process on my arm and on my leg.”
She explains that while refusing to let go of the phone the criminals left her and ran off. An injured King was then assisted by two cyclists.
“Then they ran away without the phone. They didn’t take anything. I got up and was full of blood. I was waving for cars to stop. I am very grateful for the two cyclists that stopped. They asked me what happened and called the police. The police were very reluctant, then members from local private security came. One of the cyclists ordered an Uber for me.”
King, who has since returned to Durban, is calling for more police presence in the vicinity.
“It wasn’t a pleasant experience. I hear there are many incidents on that stretch of the road and perhaps security or police presence is required. Lucky I’m okay mentally and physically but it could have been worse. I would hate to see anyone else have the same experience. Why is nothing being done there?”
King posted her incident on a local Camps Bay community Facebook group and warned residents and runners to be vigilant.
One resident reacted to the post and says crime is on the increase in the area.
The resident posted: “Owing to a lack of meaningful visible policing and law enforcement Camps Bay is dangerous. Lurking behind the splendour of the exclusive posh hood, cafe society and golden beaches is a very sinister element that supposedly have all the rights to loiter, squat and indulge in criminal activity at the expense of residents and visitors alike.”
Another resident says: “One of the solutions to this ongoing problem is to have regular law enforcement foot patrols to conduct stop and searches on those individuals that are loitering, squatting and strolling aimlessly looking for soft targets to assault.”
Capt Keith Chandler, Station Commander at Camps Bay Police Station, denies that there has been an increase in robberies in the area.
“We can confirm that we have had two reported robberies in the area of Victoria Road near the Bowls green during May this year and arrests have been made.”
Chandler confirms that King did report the incident.
The officer advises runners and visitors to be cautious.
“We advise residents and visitors not to run/walk alone in those areas, especially early in the morning or late evening when it’s dark or poor light. Also, visitors to the beach it’s unnecessary to bring valuables example laptops and tablets to the beach. There are opportunists out there waiting for negligent easy pickings.”
When releasing quarter four crime statistics for 2021-’22 on Friday 3 June, Police Minister Bheki Cele said assault to do grievous bodily harm (GBH) figures have shown drastic increases.
He says 6 575 more cases were reported during this reporting period.
The statistics reflect crime reported to the South African Police Service in the first three months of 2022.
Cele says 42 992 cases of assault GBH and 45 746 cases of common assault were opened with the police in the three months of reporting.
“Out of the 42 992 cases of assault GBH, 1 937 were children under 17 years. Arguments, road rage, intervention in a fight and robberies were some of the leading causes of the assault GBH.”
Posted on News24.com
21 June
Kaylynne Bantom @bantomkaylynne
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