CapeGate Shopping centre strongly disputes allegations that car guards at the centre might be involved in the theft of motor vehicles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe do not in any way suspect that our car guards are involved in any car theft operations as they are sub-contracted by a reputable company that we have used for several years,\u201d says marketing manager at the centre Zo\u00eb Ganz.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One of the security measures in place to counter this, she says, is random polygraph or voice stress tests carried out by a private security company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to Ganz less than six cars per year are reported stolen at the shopping centre, out of about two million cars that park at the centre per annum. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe can report that we have all the necessary security systems in place to try and avoid these types of incidents from happening,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But Martin Williams from Vredekloof, whose bakkie was recently stolen at the centre, says he is not so sure that this system is fail-safe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He parked his white 2002 Ford Bantam 1600 bakkie at the Pick n Pay entrance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThere were three car guards watching the block I parked in, and not one of them noticed anything. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhen I got back and saw my car was gone, one of the guards, who carried a radio with him, immediately told me to go look on the other side of the parking lot as if I had forgotten where I had parked,\u201d he told TygerBurger.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Williams says his car was stolen within seconds of him parking and leaving it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOn the surveillance cameras you can see a white car pulling in next to my bakkie moments after I got out. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cA man gets out, gets into my car and drives it away. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe theft was well planned and executed as if the thieves were alerted to it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI asked the guards, but they insisted they saw absolutely nothing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI find this highly unlikely and it just doesn\u2019t make sense.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n To add insult to the injury the police detective from the Stikland vehicle theft unit only showed up seven days later to view the surveillance footage that clearly shows the suspect and part of the registration number of the car that was used for the theft. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAfter viewing the footage at the centre\u2019s security room, we immediately phoned the police, who never showed up. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhere was my car after seven days? Probably out of the country or already chopped up for parts. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe had all the evidence on camera, immediately available for the detective to follow up on.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Williams says he is certain that his car would have been recovered and an arrest made, had the police acted fast enough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe detective in question simply pointed to the mountain of dockets on his table and told me he had too many cases to investigate,\u201d says Williams. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The case was later closed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n According to the latest crime statistics, 19 vehicles were reported stolen in Brackenfell between January and March this year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This number nearly doubled to 37 reported cases in the next quarter from April to June.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But according to Capt Erica Crous, spokesperson for Brackenfell Police Station, CapeGate Shopping centre is not currently a crime hotspot for vehicle theft, with low numbers reported there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, theft of motor vehicles have increased over the last two months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cVehicles targeted at the moment are the older models VW Polos, Toyota sedans, older Isuzu bakkies, Kia light delivery vehicles and Hyundai H100s,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhen parking at a shopping mall be on the lookout for remote jamming, which is still very prevalent. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cLock your doors and check that they are closed before you leave your vehicle.\u201d <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" CapeGate Shopping centre strongly disputes allegations that car guards at the centre might be involved in the theft of motor 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