Con men pretending to be from an electronics company has struck in Tafelsig, making off with two television sets, a PSP (PlayStation Portable) and six games.
Denver Bugan said his 15-year-old son was at home on Tuesday November 29 when two men stopped in front of their Tafelsig home with a taxi. They then jumped over the fence and entered the door.
“The one guy was from next door and knew my son, and the other was unknown. The one who didn’t know my son told my son that the truck is around the corner and that I’ve said that they have to pick up the electronics. He then told my son not to worry because they work with me,” he said.
Mr Bugan said they then asked for a blanket to cover the items, and that is when the son realised that they are being robbed. “It then hit him that we are being robbed. He, however, didn’t want to do anything to stop them as he could have been hurt. The neighbour saw the vehicle and then immediately contacted us,” he said.
Mr Bugan said they are upset because the thieves have entered their private space, put their child in danger and have taken their belongings. He said the one suspect that is known to them is on the run.
“We were very angry and my son is still traumatised. We contacted the police the same day, but they only came a day later. We had a break-in in February as well, nothing came of it, so we are frustrated,” he said.
Mitchell’s Plain police spokesperson Captain Ian Williams confirmed the incident and said a theft case is under investigation. He also confirmed the February burglary case. The case is closed undetected, meaning no suspects were identified.
In early November the Plainsman reported on two similar cases, one in New Woodlands and the other in Rocklands (“Cops warn of con men”, Plainsman, November 2) where items were stolen and children tricked into going with the thieves.
Two men pulled up at a house in Concorde Street, Rocklands, with a white bakkie on Monday October 17.
Rocklands resident Chantal Sampson said the men told her son, aged 13, and daughter, aged 9, they were due to pick up their TV for repairs.
They mentioned her husband’s name and were very friendly. They took the TV, DVD, her husband’s takkies, a school bag and her children, dropping them off unharmed in Tafelsig from where the scared children managed to make their way home.
A New Woodlands resident Jolene Hudson said her two sons, aged 14 and 10, were tricked into giving three men their PlayStation 3, 13 games and two controllers in September. She said the men, who drove a green Toyota Corolla, pretended they were her friends. They then took the items and tricked the 14-year-old into going with them. The teen was dropped off in Colorado Park unharmed.
Safety tips:
With schools closing for the summer holiday, the police have issued the following tips:
Parents should teach their children a safe word that only the family know.
Inform children beforehand if any person will come to ask for items. Teach your children what type of questions to ask or give responses so that they will know that you sent the person.
Teach children never to allow strangers into the house – they can communicate through a window or if there’s a security gate through a partially opened door.
Teach children to call you to confirm when the person arrives
Always arrange for adult supervision, so that the children have someone nearby that they can consult about any request
Teach your children that there are certain items that you will never send anyone to your house to collect for example keys to the safe, jewellery, vehicle keys or weapons.