criminals – Pretoria.ws

New crime trend! Cops say wi-fi detectors used to steal cellphones, laptops from cars

Pretoria - Police believe they have uncovered the reason behind the high number of theft of cellphones and laptops out of cars in the city and anywhere else across the country. Spokesperson Captain Collett Weilbach said criminals were using increasingly sophisticated, directional wi-fi detectors to home in on the laptop or cellphone. This could detect the gadgets from where they had been hidden, be it under the seat of the car or in the boot. Weilbach urged members of the public, particularly motorists, to turn off the wi-fi of laptops and cellphones to avoid opening an invitation to thieves. Police in the Brooklyn area, largely populated by students, as well as Sunnyside and the CBD have reported on an increase in the number of laptops stolen out of motor vehicles. “I parked my car and walked to a restaurant, and all was well. On my return about two hours later, I noticed that one of the rear windows had been smashed. "I checked under the driver’s seat where …

Plot robberies, rape on the rise in the Pretoria North – communities asked to beef up their security

A spate of crimes are being committed on plots in Pretoria North, particularly house robberies and rape. “Criminals are now going to the extent of stealing solar panels from the roofs of houses.” This is according to police spokesperson Captain Matthews Nkoadi. He explained the perpetrators were usually in groups of two or three wearing balaclavas and wielding guns. “We urge communities in that area to up their security and inform us of any suspicious activities,” Nkoadi said. Other popular crimes he identified included robberies of hair salons, taxis and buses. “Criminals are now going to the extent of stealing solar panels from the roofs of houses,” he said. Other forms of crime in Pretoria North seem to be on the decrease. Nkoadi also said students in other parts of Pretoria were still being targeted by false prophets who were roaming the streets. “We urge our students to please be more clever than these people,” he said. He added that most robberi…

We’ll deal with criminals ourselves, threaten Faerie Glen residents

Pretoria - Residents of Faerie Glen in Pretoria East have threatened to take matters into their own hands to deal with an increase in crime in the area if police did not intervene. They said the community was being held hostage by criminals after a surge in housebreakings and muggings over the past few months. Reports of crime from the suburb and nearby Faerie Glen Nature Reserve have emerged, with the first crime inside the reserve taking place two weeks ago after a 10-year record of safety and security. A woman was attacked while running on the trail in the reserve and all her gear, including shoes, cellphone, hydration backpack and sunglasses were taken. Warnings began going up on social media, where trail runners were asked to be cautious and not to run on their own, as criminals, often wielding knives and wearing balaclavas, were on the prowl. The criminals are said to gain entry into the nature reserve through Atterbury Bridge and using the Manitoba Bridge …