A woman who survived a smash and grab attempt is cautioning motorists to be careful when stopping at traffic lights any time of the day.
This comes after Estelle Pretorius, who was on her way to the Gautrain station, stopped at the traffic light in Hendrik Verwoerd Road recently.
“I still can’t believe I was able to fight off the attacker, held onto my bag and managed to get it away from him. Thank God I was able to drive away before he could strike again,” she said.
According to Pretorius, the attacker had no fear as he just stood there after the attempted robbery and did not even try to flee from the scene.
She further said the police were called but they couldn’t catch the man.
“I just want to caution other motorists and alert them to always ensure they do not place handbags, cell phones or any other valuables in the view of attackers to grab as it is easy to do so. My mistake was that I took my bag from the floor to take out my Gautrain card and unfortunately the perpetrator saw an opportunity to rob me,” she said.
Police spokesperson Warrant Officer Hero Gumbu said several cases of smash and grabs had been reported in the area and that they would patrol it. He said motorists should be careful not to expose valuables in their vehicles. They should also be alert when driving at night.
