Suspected smash-and-grab caught on camera (video)

CCTV footage has emerged showing what appears to be an attempted smash-and-grab incident at the Gordon Road intersection in Roodepoort on the West Rand.

The footage shows a man climbing over the barrier of the embankment, and then starts to look into the windows of vehicles waiting for the traffic light to turn green.

Shortly afterwards, a second man climbs over the barrier and then does the same.

At first it appears that the men do not see anything valuable. At the last moment, something in the vehicle from which the footage is being taken, attracts one of the men’s attention and he purposefully starts moving to the car.

The camera operator then turns the camera directly on the suspect, and when he sees this, he quickly turns around to hide his identity.

Captain Lydia Dikolomela of Florida police said they were aware that the intersection was a smash-and-grab hot spot, Roodepoort Record reported.

Dikolomela said as a result of policing the area, smash-and grab incidents had decreased.

The police station would investigate how many similar cases had been opened in the past month.

Dikolomela warned that it was common of criminals to hide on the embankment next to the intersection, and that motorists should be vigilant.

In a separate incident, a 22-year-old University of KwaZulu-Natal student died following a suspected smash-and-grab incident last week.

Shivaar Panday was believed to be a final year BComm student, who had been on his way to write a test at the university when the incident occurred.

A case of murder was opened and no arrests had been made.

– Caxton News Service