Two vehicles were stolen in separate incidents in Ballito over the weekend, bringing the total number of reported vehicle thefts this December to three.

On Monday morning, Ballito resident Matthew Brown reported that his home on Ashley Road had been broken into during the night and his vehicle stolen from the driveway. The incident is believed to have occurred between 11pm and 5am.

“It appears that someone broke into my house, stole my car keys and then drove my car out of the driveway. The keys also had the gate remote on them,” said Brown.

He confirmed that his family was inside the house at the time of the break-in. According to Brown, the thieves allegedly removed a sliding door to gain access to the home.

The stolen vehicle is a gunmetal silver 2018 Kia Picanto. Brown also reported that his son’s wallet, which had been left inside the vehicle, was also taken.

In a separate incident on Sunday, a white Toyota Fortuner 2.8 GD-6 automatic was stolen from outside a property on Elizabeth Drive, Ballito. The vehicle was reportedly taken during the night.

Discovery Insure has since issued a lookout notice for the stolen Fortuner and is appealing to the public for assistance. Anyone who may have seen the vehicle or has information that could assist in its recovery is urged to contact Discovery Insure on 086 099 9911 or their nearest police station.

Residents who have any information regarding the stolen Kia Picanto are asked to contact their nearest police station or Matthew Brown directly on 066 484 0115.

In a third incident, a Toyota Hilux was stolen from Freda Road on December 18.

After a quiet year with hardly any noteworthy crime reported in the town, three vehicle thefts in one month is a noteworthy spike in criminal activity.

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