Police warn of muggings in Bellville CBD

Police are advising the public to stay alert while walking in the Bellville CBD, following several muggings there.

Two men claiming to be from a cellphone company approached a man in Church Street as he was on his way to the taxi rank, at noon on Wednesday May 18, and offered to give him a new phone if he accompanied them to a nearby cellphone shop, say police.

“Before the man entered the cellphone shop the robbers asked him to show his phone which they grabbed and ran away with,” said Captain Bellville police spokesman Aubrey Morwenyane.

The perpetrators are still at large.

Bellville taxi rank, Charl Malan Street, Robert Sobukwe Road and Church Street are mugging hot spots, according to Captain Aubrey Morwenyane.

“I cannot confirm the number of robberies, but they are reported weekly in the CBD,” he said, adding that more police officers were being deployed to the hot spots.

“These crimes happen to anyone who is exposing their cellphones, headphones, or they are distracted by chatting on WhatsApp while walking in the CBD,” he said.

Boston Community Improvement District manager Jean Beukman said thefts from vehicles remained a problem in the Boston area and the thieves were using remote-jamming devices to stop motorists from locking their cars.

“We’re encouraging people to always check that their vehicles are locked,” he said.