POLOKWANE – The police confirmed that there is no truth to an SMS that recently made the rounds in the city warning residents about robbers using a new modus operandi to rob people at night.

The SMS read: “Warning: if you wake up in the middle of the night to find that your outside taps are running, do not go outside to turn them off. Robbers use that to get unsuspecting victims to open their doors so they can attack them”.

This raised big concern and panic among residents, and they wanted to know what they were supposed to do to protect themselves.

“It is not safe for us to go out and turn off the water because we will be attacked, but if we leave the water running, a lot of water will go to waste and the municipality will give a penalty, which will make our municipal accounts high. What are we supposed to do?” residents asked.

One of the residents said: “It is amazing how much thought and energy criminals spend planning to rob a person of their hard-earned belongings. If only they could direct their energy in a positive way, the world would be a better place”.

Provincial police spokesperson, Capt Mamphaswa Seabi, asked that residents remained calm. He reassured them that the police had never received such a complaint.

“The police have never received such a complaint. We have only had street robberies. The robbers attack people who are walking to work in the early hours of the morning while it is still dark and also those who are walking home from work when the sun has gone down.

“We have deployed vehicles along the road between Polokwane and Westenburg for added safety. We urge those who are walking not to walk when it is dark and to always walk in groups. Also do not carry valuable items as this will make you vulnerable,” Seabi said.

He also pleaded with residents to use public transport to avoid becoming victims of crime.

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