Ribbons on streetlight poles a mystery
Ribbons tied on streetlight poles in Danville still remain a mystery to the residents.
The appearance of ribbons on streetlight poles in Danville is still a mystery.
Some residents in Lotz Avenue think these are markings for criminals, while others believe the ribbons are to show which streetlights are out of order.
Rekord approached several organisations in a bid to clear up the mystery.
The Tshwane metro said it had no knowledge of the ribbons.
“The Tshwane metro’s energy and electricity division confirmed it had no idea who tied ribbons to the streetlight poles,” said metro spokesperson Lindela Mashigo.
Since Saturday night, residents have noticed different coloured ribbons on their streetlight poles.
Resident Elize Viljoen said she was sitting with her daughter watching television last week Saturday when a white double-cab bakkie stopped outside.
“After the bakkie left, my daughter and I noticed a ribbon on our pole. The next day when we looked in the street, there were more ribbons on other poles.”
Viljoen said they had asked around, but no one could tell them anything. She initially thought a resident in the street might have had a party or something similar, but it seemed this was not the case.
Residents are now worried and scared because they suspect the ribbons are a new marker for criminals.
Resident Oupa Sefoka said the different coloured ribbons indicated different messages about the house and its occupants to criminals.
“A specific ribbon colour indicates to criminals what they should steal, how many people are in the house and other important information like that.”
Sefoka said painted markings on some houses were also the work of criminals.
“This is scary, because we have elderly people living in our street and already there is a house that has been broken into when everyone is out during the day.”
He said he had seen the same white double cab bakkie without a number plate Viljoen and her daughter spoke of and suspected these were the people tying the ribbons on the streetlight poles.
“We have contacted the police about these ribbons and painted markings, but they have not done anything. The local security company often patrol in our street, but we seldom see the police.”
He said water meters had been stolen from houses in the street.
Pretoria West Community Policing Forum (CPF) deputy secretary Atrichia E’Silva said the ribbons were markings for criminals.
“We know that the ribbons are used to mark properties. We have also alerted community members and the local police about this.”
E’Silva said criminals also used bricks, paint, a piece of tyre and several other items to mark targeted houses.
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