Pedestrians, joggers targeted by criminals in East

Pedestrians in the east of Pretoria have been warned to be extra careful when they go for a walk, run or even when they commute to and from work.

Fidelity ADT security said an increase in pedestrian robberies in the east of Pretoria had been noted.

According to general manager, Leon Muller, criminals were targeting people while walking, jogging or waiting for either a taxi or bus on their way to and from work pretending to be asking for directions and then robbing them.

“They are looking for laptops, smartphones and other gadgets, which are light, portable, and easy to convert into cash,” he said.

“Criminals are very brazen in this country and with the high unemployment rate the number of incidents are increasing.

“They either scam you and ask you for directions or ask to use your phone and then hold you up, or if you are on your phone walk past you and accost you.”

On Saturday two cyclists were robbed at gunpoint at the Fort Klapperkop nature reserve.

The pair were robbed of their cellphones.

Earlier last week, a cyclist was robbed of his watch and cellphone when three robbers accosted him in the same reserve.

“Unfortunately, many cases go unreported as people are left traumatised and fearing for their lives. It’s very important however that they do open a case with the police so that these criminals can be removed from the street.

“Fidelity ADT remains committed to the safety of our communities and we’re working closely with the SAPS and community organisations to make the areas safer for all residents,” Muller said.

Muller gave the following safety tips:

– Keep your valuables out of sight at all times but make sure you can get to your cellphone quickly if you need to.

– Don’t use headphones because they’ll dampen your ability to sense your surroundings. The more you cut your senses off, the easier it is for someone to take you by surprise. Stay alert!

– Even if it takes longer, always use a route that is well lit and populated with houses and other walkers instead of taking shortcuts through less-friendly areas. If you feel threatened, you can at least knock on someone’s door for help if you’re walking through a familiar neighbourhood.

– Never try to be a hero if you’re accosted by criminals with weapons. Give them what they want and offer no resistance. Try to take in as much detail about the criminals and their vehicle, etc. as possible. As soon as you’re able to, contact the SAPS and open a case.

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