Car is gone in minutes in Sinoville
"When we had our backs turned, she took the car keys while we weren’t looking."
It only took a few minutes for thieves to steal a Sinoville business owner’s car from right under her nose last week Friday.
“We had already closed for the day when a couple insisted on getting more information about our products and services,” said Carin Boshoff.
Boshoff works for a local printing business, which the owner runs from her home in Annlin.
“The lady then asked for a glass of water. When we had our backs turned, she took the car keys while we weren’t looking. They then made an excuse to leave – and a few minutes later they had taken the car.”
Disheartened owner Annie Paulus has since opened a case of vehicle theft at the police station.
“This has put my staff and me on high alert as it could have been worse. I am sad that the car that was stolen was paid off and I had been debt-free.”
Paulus said the insurance claim will not pay out enough money for her to buy a new car.
“I do not want to go into debt at the age of 65 to buy another one.”
Police spokesperson Warrant Officer Johan van Dyk highlighted that a car can be stolen in less than a minute.
“Vigilance is of utmost importance,” he said.
“Motorists should avoid leaving their keys in the ignition while they quickly run into the house to fetch something. Thieves look for opportunities to strike when motorists are distracted.”
Van Dyk had the following tips for motorists:
– Check car doors after locking to see if it was locked properly and not remotely jammed.
– Never leave valuable items visible in the car.
– Place valuables in the boot at home and not in public where people can see you hiding them.
– When visiting, park in the yard and not on the pavement.
He said victims should call the police immediately after they have discovered that their vehicle had been stolen.
“Motorists should be able to provide information on the registration number, make, model and colour of the car as well as any unique marks that would make it easy to identify the car.
“If the car was stolen at a shopping centre, then inform the centre of this so that they can put preventative measures in place,” said Van Dyk.
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