KAREN PRETORIUS
Residents foiled two attempted crowbar burglaries in Tygerdal and Glenwood last week, following a lull in such incidents. In both incidents – in Acacia Street, Tygerdal, on Wednesday March 9, and in Pinewood Crescent, Glenwood, on Thursday March 10 – a silver VW Polo was allegedly involved.
Goodwood police spokesman Lieutenant Waynne Theunis said they were investigating cases of attempted housebreaking.
He said in the Acacia Street incident, the homeowner had arrived at 12.45pm and found a silver VW Polo with one occupant, in his driveway.
“He also saw another man trying to break open the safety gate of his front door. He shouted at the suspect, who jumped into the Polo and fled the scene,” he said.
The resident followed the car but lost it in Frans Conradie Drive.
In the second incident, a day later in Pinewood Crescent, a resident saw his neighbour’s front safety gate had been forced open.
“According to eyewitnesses, the same silver VW Polo was involved,” Lieutenant Theunis said.
Dirk van der Berg, from Goodwood Armed Patrols, who responded to both incidents, said in Acacia Street, the burglars had rung the bell of one house first, but when they found it occupied, they hit a neighbouring house where no-one was home.
He said burglars usually hit between 9am and 1pm, and spent only 10 to 15 minutes in an area.
He said video footage showed the car cruising out of the area.
“These guys are in no hurry to leave, unless they are being chased. They don’t want to raise suspicion,” he said.
Mr Van der Berg said detailed description was critical, including the registration number, make and colour of the vehicle.
In the Pinewood Crescent incident, neighbours had given a good description of the vehicle, he said.
“The registration of the vehicle is critical as SAPS will flag it on the Licence Plate Recognition (LPR) system.”
Lieutenant Theunis said Goodwood SAPS had increased visibility with more patrols, vehicle checkpoints and neighbourhood watch patrols.
Three weeks ago, a house in Vryburger Street, Tygerdal, was burgled. In that case, a Nissan X-Trail was allegedly used.
Last month, two crowbar burglars were nabbed in Goodwood after a chase by Table View SAPS, following an incident in Parklands (“Crowbar burglars caught,” Northern News, February 17).