MARGATE’S central business district was literally besieged by criminals in the last week.
The Wimpy in Marine Drive, the post office, Margate Butchery and two holiday accommodation establishments took a knock.
Martie Walker, chairman of the Margate Business Forum, said that – although they did not want to paint the town in a bad light – she felt compelled to warn the community about the recent spate of robberies and attempted robberies with criminals smashing windows and through doors with large rocks.
On Saturday evening, thieves managed to break into one the self-catering holiday apartments in William O’Connor Street and flee with two cellphones.
Mrs Walker, who also owns Margate Wimpy, and her husband, Eddie, explained that during the early hours of Tuesday morning their restaurant was vandalised and broken into by a gang who used a large brick to smash the front door.
Luckily, not much was stolen as the alarm was raised quickly by a guard from Wolf Security.
He called for back up, while keeping one suspect trapped in the shop to prevent his escape. The other two fled.
“Wolf Security saved our business as the gang was already packing items to steal,” said Mrs Walker.
Then, during the early hours of yesterday morning criminals struck again, this time targeting Margate Butchery.
Fortunately, they couldn’t get through the shatterproof glass door and large sliding window.
A block of holiday flats in Marine Drive and the post office were also hit, possibly by the same gang.
The post office was closed yesterday and it is unclear at this stage if anything was stolen.
Mrs Walker also warned visitors to Margate not to walk alone during the early hours of the morning or late at night.
This after a holidaymaker from White River, Mpumalanga, was mugged in broad daylight on Margate beach last Friday.
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