The Voortrekker Road Corridor Improvement District (VRCID) said three arrests over a five-day period had recently highlighted the importance of public vigilance and ongoing efforts to combat crime in the Bellville and Parow areas.

The first incident occurred in the early hours of 17 July, when VRCID Public Safety Officers Sive Gqweta and Thabo Thomsana were conducting patrols on the corner of Voortrekker Road and Van Eyssen Street, Parow. After noting suspicious behaviour among three men, officers attempted to conduct a stop-and-search. One suspect fled the scene but was quickly apprehended. An imitation firearm was found in his possession and he was arrested after being handed over to the Parow police.

On 20 July, officers Sakhumzi Marobo and Andreas van Wyk responded to a report from a security officer in the UniCare Pharmacy parking area in Durban Road, Bellville, where a suspected car jammer had stolen a laptop bag from a parked vehicle. The suspect was immediately detained on the scene, the stolen property recovered, and officers secured the area while awaiting the police after the vehicle owner indicated an intention to open a criminal case. The suspect was subsequently arrested for theft from a motor vehicle.

In a third incident, in the early hours of 21 July, officers Willie Davids and Edwin Adonis were patrolling the Bellville CBD when they stopped and questioned an individual acting suspiciously on the corner of Belrail Road and Carl Malan Street. He was found in possession of a car stereo believed to have been stolen. The suspect was handed over to the Bellville police, where he was arrested for possession of suspected stolen goods.

Derek Bock, VRCID chief operating officer, urged motorists to remain vigilant, particularly against car jamming.

“Car jamming remains a concern and is often an opportunistic crime. Motorists should always physically check that their vehicle is locked before walking away, as remote jamming devices can prevent vehicles from locking when the remote is pressed. Never leave valuables visible inside your vehicle, report any suspicious activity immediately, and if you become the victim of a crime, open a case with the police. Every reported case contributes to ongoing investigations and helps law enforcement identify crime patterns and bring offenders to justice.”

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