ON Monday 21 June at 16:00 I parked my car in Fabriek Street opposite Morkel’s. Just as I opened the door, it was jerked from my hand by a man who stuck his head and shoulders between me and the steering wheel, blocking my exit. He threw two boxes of perfume in my lap with a “Madam, this is for you”.
I thought that this was a hijack and I panicked.
I got the key out of the ignition and tried to push him from the car, but he persisted, throwing another box of perfume next to me.
I shoved it back at him shouting: “Get out, get out” - which he did, with my cellphone from my car door pocket!
I ran down to the Pick n Pay guards and described my assailant. They said that he had accosted other ladies as well and that I should go to the police, while they tracked him down.
Off I went to the police station, where they immediately summoned a van and within half an hour they returned with four suspects!
After some friendly persuasion, one admitted that he had stolen the phone, but had given it to accomplice number two who had sold it to number three at the bicycle shop in Verster Street!
However, the ‘buyer’ was dead as a doornail and they had to let the culprits go because of lack of evidence.
The very next day, my gardener shouted at midday: “Madam, call the police, someone is breaking into a 4x4 in the street”.
I phoned the police, who were there within minutes and arrested the rascals red-handed.
Numerous vehicles have been broken into or have been tampered with in Faure Street next to the Paarl Town Hall and thousands of rands of damage done, so I hope that these vagabonds are not just let loose again.
A special thanks to Inspector Mkosana who treated my predicament with sympathy and thoroughness, and for her staff for their swift action, awareness and support.
Also a hearty thank you to the assistants at Pick n Pay parking area for identifying the ‘skelms’.
Public, beware of this new breed of ‘business entrepreneurs’!
