VREDENBURG – Growing concern over Vredenburg’s worsening crime situation has once again come to the fore following another business robbery in Main Road, highlighting a problem that has been escalating for years.
This after Mingshun Chen (53), the owner of New Spark shop, was pepper sprayed and assaulted on Monday 7 September.
The incident took place around 17:15, where three men and a woman, who are known to the shop owner, entered the business.
The suspects allegedly pepper-sprayed the owner in the eyes before taking
Avengers Superhero toys valued at R750.
The owner was also struck on the shoulder before the suspects fled the scene.
According to the owner, the business has only been open for a few weeks and this was the first time they had been robbed.
He said he was relieved that nobody was seriously injured, but struggled to sleep for the rest of week because of the effects of the pepper spray sprayed into his eyes.
Main road
The incident comes amid growing concerns from residents and business owners about crime in Vredenburg.
Sammy Springleer, a Vredenburg resident, said he was reluctant to raise the issue again but felt it was necessary to draw attention to the town’s crime situation.
“Our town of Vredenburg is facing a serious and growing crime problem, and nowhere is this more evident than in the increasing number of business robberies, break-ins and muggings in and around our Main Road.
“When businesses no longer feel safe operating here, the consequences affect the entire community. Jobs, investment and the local economy are all placed at risk,” he said.
Springleer, however, said residents also needed to be fair when considering where responsibility for the crime problem lies.
“The police is operating across a vast geographical area with limited resources. It is not reasonable to expect a police van to be on the scene of a crime in minutes, even though sometimes they do manage to arrive quick enough,” he added.
According to Springleer municipal law enforcement officers are also under pressure and struggling to keep up with the demands placed upon them, but it does not make it acceptable.
He called for a united community response involving business owners, residents, police, municipal law enforcement, the Community Police Forum, neighbourhood watches and all roleplayers in order to combat crime.
