A Carlswald resident, Nozi Lolwana, is concerned about the increase of bag-snatching incidents on 6th Road in Carlswald and on Lever Road in Midrand.
Lolwana said that over the past few days, women have been victims of bag snatching. She said, “The culprits are so obvious as they walk in the streets in the evening. They are dirty and loiter around Lever [Street]. I saw the criminals snatch a lady’s bag as I was jogging past one evening.”
She explained that the criminals grabbed the woman’s bag and ran through an opening in a wall of a private property. “It’s so scary because not everybody has a car to use to get home from work and we have demanding jobs where not everybody will knock off at the same time and walk together.”
Spokesperson for Midrand Police Station, Constable Matome Tlamela, said no bag-snatching cases have been opened at the station as yet.
She issued the following tips to stay safe on the streets:
- Never walk around alone at night or in secluded places, do not talk to strangers and be on the lookout for strange cars or people.
- Walk in well-lit busy streets and in a group if possible.
- Be sure that you know all the emergency numbers.
- Always let someone know where you are going and how long you will be gone for. But think twice before advertising your impending absence on social media.
- Avoid going onto a congested street where you cannot even walk properly, this is where you will find criminals pick-pocketing.
- Avoid displaying valuables where criminals can see them such as wearing jewellery while walking at night.
Details: Midrand Police Station 011 347 1626.
Also read:
Top tips to foil smash and grabs
