The car of a 29-year-old man was stolen on Sunday (16 July) evening in Freedom Street, Wellington while he was standing just a few feet away.
According to the victim, who prefers to remain anonymous, he and his girlfriend were driving down Freedom Street at 21:00 when they got into an argument.
“My girlfriend wanted to get out of the car. I stopped the car and went after her because I didn’t want her to walk alone at that time of night.
I was about five feet (1,52 m) away from the car which was still idling, and when my girlfriend turned around and asked me where my car was.
“I then turned around and my car was gone.”
The man said after the incident he posted a picture of his car on social media, requesting the public’s assistance in the search for his car.
Soon after, a woman reached out to him, informing him the car had been spotted close to the public swimming pool in Wellington and in Chicago, Paarl East as well.
“In the message the woman sent she was specific about the time the car was parked at Wellington Swimming Pool. Apparently the security there chased the guy away because he was sleeping in the car.
And then she told me the car was spotted again around 05:00 the Monday (17 July) in Chicago, and that is when I went to Paarl East police with the information. While I was at the police station on Monday morning I was informed the car had been spotted in the scrapyard [in Donkervliet Street] in Paarl, close to the traffic department.”
The car was found in a good condition, although two tyres of the car had been slashed. The man says he is just happy that he got his car back.
Paarl Post has directed enquiries to Mbekweni police, who were investigating the matter. Shortly before the newspaper’s deadline for print it could not be confirmed whether police had any leads that could lead to the arrest of a possible suspect in this case.
Anyone with information with regards to this case can contact the Mbekweni police on 021 868 9975.
In an unrelated matter Paarl East police said a message was circulating on social media that hijackings had taken place near the Chicago area was untrue.
Capt Anthony Sauls, spokesperson for the Paarl East police, confirmed this to the police. “There weren’t any hijackings. There was one robbery reported in Van der Stel Street and one in Jan van Riebeeck Road.
“In the event of someone being hijacked they should report it to the police. People must also be cautious and lock the doors of their vehicles, especially when they stop at traffic lights.”
To report a hijacking contact Paarl East police on 021 868 9975 or visit the station on the corner of Meacker and Van der Stel Street.
