A driver, who was doing deliveries on Alexander Avenue in Isipingo Rail, had a run in with the local ‘paras’, street name for the thieving whoonga addicts, when they made off with an unconfirmed amount of goods from the back of his delivery vehicle on June 30, 2016.
The driver flagged down an Alpha armed response officer when he noticed that his rear van doors were opened. The driver sought help from the Alpha officers who immediately stopped and called for back-up.
When they approached the rear of the van, the suspects had already dispersed into the taxi-rank crowd with the stolen goods and could not be identified.
Alpha officers secured the vehicle and the balance of the stock for the driver. There has been a spate of robberies where gangs of paras descend on delivery vehicles and steal goods from rear of delivery vehicles.
Alpha Alarms urges business owners and truck drivers to beware of lurking criminals who are ready to strike. Alpha joined police recently on a drive in the Isipingo CBD to create awareness about such incidents.
There has been media buzz about the theft from delivery vehicles and truck drivers being robbed.
Police offered the following tips:
- Be alert for suspicious people loitering around the areas of your deliveries, including intersections, robots, stop streets and traffic circles.
- Be alert to vehicles which may be following you while you are en route to your stop.
- When making a delivery, truck drivers must ask contracted security officers to be present until they are safely on their way.
- Keep vehicles locked at all times; use padlocks to secure the back doors of the trucks.
- If possible allocate one person at the back of the delivery tuck.
- If you are a victim of crime in the Isipingo area report on 10111 or Isipingo SAPS on 031-9133400.
South Africa Today – South Africa News
