Residents of Table View have been warned to be on high alert in the area in light of a marked increase in hijacking incidents over the past several weeks.
“Criminals are stealing occupied vehicles in a violent manner, focusing on those members of the public that are going about their business very early in the morning or very late at night,” a notice by the Table View Neighbourhood Watch reads.
Speaking to IOL, a resident of the area said she had fallen victim to a smash-and-grab just last weekend. Two men allegedly smashed her car’s passenger side window when she stopped at a red light. The men demanded her phone, and when one could not find it, he climbed in through the window and entered the car.
Fortunately, her husband was driving in front of her and managed to manhandle the assailant.
The two men proceeded to hit the back of her husband’s head and made an escape.
Grant Lemos, Neighbourhood Watch chairperson, said that a number of cab drivers have also been attacked recently.
Chairperson of the area’s Community Police Forum (CPF) said although Table View has the fastest-growing population in the Western Cape and has the worst-resourced police station.
“The provincial average is one SAPS member to 560 community members. We are sitting with a ratio of 1 to 970. We have a very committed SAPS station that is battling to cope with the chronic lack of resources,” he said.
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