Letter to the editor
Image: CCN image
Lyle Lawrence, mindful modification NPO community liaison officer, Westridge
I'm writing to express my sincere gratitude to Mitchell's Plain police's dedicated officers.
On Wednesday February 26, I was leaving my Westridge home, to take two cellphones to a repair shop in Town Centre. It was a warm day so I decided to turn into the roadhouse café on the corner of Eisleben Drive and Wespoort Drive to get an energy drink.
As I opened the drink I decided to stand in the shade at the bus stop approximately one meter away from the café. As I stood, suddenly I was surrounded by three men aged between 16 to 27.
They must've timed me from the alley right next to the bus stop. I became suspicious as the main road was quiet at 1.25pm.
The first guy asked me for a cigarette I said "but you have a cigarette behind your ears," the second suspect moved closer to me asking "waars jou phone?" The younger one that stood in front of me pulled me, my sunglasses flung in the air as he grabbed both Huawei's to the value of R5000 out of my pocket, luckily they didn't take the R300 cash from my pocket.
I started making a scene, signaling motorists passing by. This is where Mitchell's Plain's wakker cops noted what was currently transpiring, the brave cops jumped out of the unmarked white vehicle and came to my rescue, apprehending the suspect that asked me for a cigarette.
They pushed him in the vehicle whilst the officer in uniform stood by me, the officers sped off chasing the other suspect that ran into the direction of Spine Road. Meanwhile, me and the remaining officer met up with the cops in the vehicle in Merrydale Avenue, whereby cops showed me the long butcher knife the suspect had on him.
I was shocked and shivering, just to think what could have transpired if it weren't for these hardworking, community orientated wakker police officials.
I want to thank especially the officer that were in civilian clothing with the shorts and sweater. While standing on the corner cops advised me that I could go home and that I would get my cellphones back. I gave them my address; I forgot to take their names.
I got home it took about an hour I decided to go to the police station, on arrival I've learned at the charge office that no one had been booked in for stolen cellphones. I made my way back home, on arrival my mother informed me the SAPS caught the third suspect and got the cellphones back.
She couldn't thank the police enough, not only for the phones but for the fact I'm unharmed. Many times the public criticise the entire body of SAPS but I want to assure the public that my opinion is totally different.
We have the good ones, dedicated and hard working officials. They took almost three hours searching for the suspect in order to ensure I got my belongings back. This is what I call dedicated, passion-driven officials.
On this note I want to warn scholars and especially the elderly to be vigilant of their surroundings during off peak hours when the area is much quieter.
Baie dankie SAPS, Inkosi SAPS, Thank you very much SAPS.
ss my sincere gratitude to Mitchell's Plain police's dedicated officers.
On Wednesday February 26, I was leaving my Westridge home, to take two cellphones to a repair shop in Town Centre. It was a warm day so I decided to turn into the roadhouse café on the corner of Eisleben Drive and Wespoort Drive to get an energy drink.
As I opened the drink I decided to stand in the shade at the bus stop approximately one meter away from the café. As I stood, suddenly I was surrounded by three men aged between 16 to 27.
They must've timed me from the alley right next to the bus stop. I became suspicious as the main road was quiet at 1.25pm.
The first guy asked me for a cigarette I said "but you have a cigarette behind your ears," the second suspect moved closer to me asking "waars jou phone?" The younger one that stood in front of me pulled me, my sunglasses flung in the air as he grabbed both Huawei's to the value of R5000 out of my pocket, luckily they didn't take the R300 cash from my pocket.
I started making a scene, signaling motorists passing by. This is where Mitchell's Plain's wakker cops noted what was currently transpiring, the brave cops jumped out of the unmarked white vehicle and came to my rescue, apprehending the suspect that asked me for a cigarette.
They pushed him in the vehicle whilst the officer in uniform stood by me, the officers sped off chasing the other suspect that ran into the direction of Spine Road. Meanwhile, me and the remaining officer met up with the cops in the vehicle in Merrydale Avenue, whereby cops showed me the long butcher knife the suspect had on him.
I was shocked and shivering, just to think what could have transpired if it weren't for these hardworking, community orientated wakker police officials.
I want to thank especially the officer that were in civilian clothing with the shorts and sweater. While standing on the corner cops advised me that I could go home and that I would get my cellphones back. I gave them my address; I forgot to take their names.
I got home it took about an hour I decided to go to the police station, on arrival I've learned at the charge office that no one had been booked in for stolen cellphones. I made my way back home, on arrival my mother informed me the SAPS caught the third suspect and got the cellphones back.
She couldn't thank the police enough, not only for the phones but for the fact I'm unharmed. Many times the public criticise the entire body of SAPS but I want to assure the public that my opinion is totally different.
We have the good ones, dedicated and hard working officials. They took almost three hours searching for the suspect in order to ensure I got my belongings back. This is what I call dedicated, passion-driven officials.
On this note I want to warn scholars and especially the elderly to be vigilant of their surroundings during off peak hours when the area is much quieter.
Baie dankie SAPS, Inkosi SAPS, Thank you very much SAPS.