A BEREA resident was injured and another escaped unscathed after hijackers fired shots at him during a high-speed getaway in two separate incidents over the past week.
Blue Security managing director Darryn le Grange said the company’s crime statistics over the past week revealed a “worrying spike” in contact crimes on the Berea and he urged residents to be on their guard.
A resident was injured and his son was also assaulted during an armed robbery in Chapel Street in Overport last Monday at 7.30pm in the evening.
According to le Grange, a gang of three armed men driving a brand new silver Mercedes Compressor jammed the gate and held up the resident’s daughter as she arrived home.
“The men entered the property and assaulted the home owner with the butt of a gun and slapped his son across the face before fleeing with a large sum of cash,” he said.
In another incident in Haden Road, Berea on Friday, a resident had a narrow escape after hijackers fired at him in broad daylight at around 1.30pm.
“The residents were driving home in two separate cars and the husband witnessed his wife being hijacked by two armed men as she arrived at the gate. The men hijacked her at gun point as she was taking her child out the car. They fled in her car and her husband gave chase,” le Grange said.
He said one of the men fired shots at the man out of the car window and fortunately missed. The stolen car contained a handbag, keys and an iPad. The incident was reported to Berea SAPS.
A gang of four armed robbers also held up a security guard in Venice Road in Morningside on Saturday after tricking him into thinking they were visiting a resident.
They fled with two safes and a computer.
In Morrison Street four armed robbers mugged a pedestrian and fled with his cellphone and other valuables.
“The worrying spike in contact crimes comes against a backdrop of a high number of housebreakings reported over the past couple of weeks in which burglars forced open gates and windows to gain entry. We know that criminals do target certain areas cyclically and therefore we urge residents to be vigilant at this time and to work very closely with their neighbourhood watch groups and security companies,” said le Grange.
He said any suspicious behaviour should be immediately reported to the community structures, security companies and the police, as doing so could make a difference in thwarting crimes like these.
Le Grange urged residents to also consider collectively engaging with the company regarding establishing special projects which could provide an additional layer of security in a specific road or a select part of a suburb.
