A worrying increase in cellphone robberies remains a problem in some parts of the city, especially as we head into the busy festive season.

Police spokesperson Captain Johan van Dyk said that while these and similar crimes are holding steady in Centurion, they have shown a worrying increase between August 1 and October 31 compared to the same period last year.

Van Dyk highlighted that the problematic days are Fridays and Saturdays, with most incidents occurring between 15:00 and 21:00.

He named several hotspots, including the corner of Hendrik Verwoerd and Rooihuiskraal Roads in Rooihuiskraal North near Mall@Reds, Bothrill Avenue in The Reeds, and along Lenchen Avenue.

“The modus operandi is consistent. Suspects often grab phones from victims while they’re waiting for orders in restaurants, walking into malls, or walking along streets. They then flee the scene in a waiting vehicle,” said Van Dyk.

He noted that police conduct weekly operations to address these identified hotspots, but public reporting is crucial.

“If incidents are not reported, it creates a false sense of security in the area, which is clearly not the case.”

Van Dyk added that operational efforts and visibility in affected areas are guided by reported incidents.

“Without proper reporting, it is difficult for us to know where and when to focus our resources.”

Ward 69 Councillor Cindy Billson recounted her own frightening experience.

On October 29, around 20:00, she was at a fast-food restaurant near Mall@Reds when a man attempted to snatch her phone.

“I initially thought it was someone joking, but it was an attempted theft,” she said.

She reacted instinctively, hitting the suspect with her elbow and stepping on his foot, but he struck her on the back, managed to break free, and jumped into a waiting vehicle.

Billson described the suspect as a man, possibly in his late twenties, wearing dark clothing, but she could not identify the driver or the vehicle registration.

Only her cellphone was stolen, but she said the ordeal left her deeply concerned about public safety.

“It’s not just about losing a phone. No one intervened or contacted SAPS. We cannot ignore public safety and corporate accountability.”

Eunice Strydom, a resident of The Reeds, describes her experience as ‘terrifying’.

She was walking along Anton Street while answering a call when a suspect grabbed her cellphone and drove off on the evening of November 5.

“I was shocked and felt completely vulnerable,” Strydom said.

“It all happened so quickly. One moment I was talking on my phone, and the next I was being robbed. I didn’t know where to turn or what to do in that moment. It really shook my sense of safety in the area.”

Provincial police spokesperson Captain Tintswalo Sibeko confirmed that police are still searching for suspects involved in cellphone snatching in Pretoria.

She noted that a series of incidents earlier this year prompted authorities to ask for public assistance in identifying suspects.

“The first incident occurred on July 22 in Eco Park, Centurion, where suspects robbed a person of their cellphone at gunpoint,” Sibeko said.

“Another took place on March 31 in Claremont, Hercules, when suspects grabbed a victim’s cellphone and fled. We urge the public to help identify these individuals so that justice can be served.”

In Pretoria West, Constable Sibongile Vuma said that cellphone snatching does not appear frequently in daily crime reports but emphasised the importance of reporting all incidents.

“We haven’t noticed a strong trend in our crime data, which could mean that people are not opening cases.

“Reporting such crimes is essential, as it guides police deployment and crime prevention initiatives and ensures problem areas are properly identified,” said Vuma.

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