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CCTV Cameras monitoring streets |
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SOUTH AFRICA Second smash and grab March 7,
2005 By Bongani Mthembu An executive committee member of eThekwini Municipality,
Lyn Ploos van Amstel, has again fallen victim to one of the notorious smash-and-grab
gangs that terrorize the streets of Durban. The attack happened in the city on
Friday - just six months after she previously lost valuables to one of the smash-and-grab
gangs. The smash-and-grab attacks have continued in spite of the municipality's
attempts to prevent them through the use of its CCTV
cameras at a number of notorious intersections. Many thieves have been caught.
Van Amstel said she was attacked on Friday evening as she traveled home alone
from the city hall, after attending an afternoon caucus meeting. "The incident
took place as I was waiting at the traffic light at corner of Pine and Russell
streets, about to travel up the on-ramp to the main Pietermaritzburg freeway,
at about 18h20," she said. She said a thief smashed her car's window and grabbed
her handbag and then disappeared past a small crowd of onlookers. "This has long
been identified as one of the city's most notorious hotspots," she said. Her bag
contained credit cards, passport, identity book, drivers license, several hundred
rand, cell phone, brand new Rayban sunglasses, digital camera and the reading
glasses. Van Amstel said she had only just picked up the new identity book - the
previous one was lost in the first incident. The combined value for goods she
lost - and the cost of repairing the window - amounted to R12 000. from Daily
News
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