Hands off our kids – Pretoria residents

The injury of a Sinoville teenager during a robbery has sparked the launch of safety campaigns and new initiatives by police and residents in the north of Pretoria, Rekord North reports.

A teenage girl was dragged alongside a car on a tar road for her cellphone. This was the fourth robbery in two months, where a learner had been targeted for their belongings.

“Our kids are not safe anymore – not even in front of our own homes,” Sinoville ward councillor Lenise Breytenbach said this week.

“That is why we as parents and residents have decided to take action.”

Breytenbach said parents of learners at a local school and CPF members recently formed a new safety group and were discussing “regular patrols” and initiatives to “combat crimes” in the area.

“Working together with police and Sinoville CPF, we want to make the message clear to all criminals: hands off our children,” said Breytenbach.

“Our community will no longer tolerate criminals victimising, intimidating and hurting our kids.”

Police have also launched their own safety awareness campaigns to educate the public on how to help prevent and report crimes.

Spokesperson Warrant Officer Johan van Dyk said the police and other metro-, as well as provincial, departments had launched their safety campaign last Thursday.

“Our community and especially our children’s safety is our (police’s) top priority,” said Van Dyk.

“By running these campaigns, we aim to inform our community on how to report crimes and getting involved in their local safety groups.

Van Dyk said the teenager and a group of her classmates were waiting outside a house in Sinoville for after-hour classes when she was robbed last week.

“Two men in a vehicle approached the kids asking for directions,” said Van Dyk.

“As the girl ‘Googled’ their destination, the man in the passenger’s side made a grab for her phone.”

As the teenager yanked away her cellphone, Van Dyk said the robber grasped her arm and the driver of the vehicle sped off.

“She was dragged alongside the vehicle for a few metres before she was released.”

The robbers fled with the stolen cellphone and the girl was rushed to hospital.

The mother of the injured 18-year-old, who asked not to be named, said on Monday that her daughter was recovering well.

“She had to get several stitches and will have to go for more follow-up appointments, but she’s doing much better,” the mother said.

She said her daughter and one of her friends, who witnessed the teenager being dragged, were also given trauma counselling by the Sinoville crisis centre.