Yesterday (17 November) a report noting suspicious vehicles, a black golf and silver Toyota leaving Rooiels was the beginning of us fighting back and the RE Patrol group sprang into action.
Three vehicles all with darkly tinted windows were seen parked at the second parking place along R44 towards Gordons Bay – a blue Toyota CA 706957; silver Tazz CA 36687 and CA 602529. ASK had seen the silver Tazz loading bags in Pringle Bay earlier in the day. DAFF (Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries) were notified and they contacted Gordons Bay SAPS to watch out for them. The situation in Rooiels quietened down. Meanwhile, there was another Block Watch notice reporting the vehicles at the “big house”, aka African House, African Bank House, Terminal 5 and the house on the point – erf 115. DAFF was there too but could not find anything. Shortly after this there was a report that they had been spotted by DAFF and apprehended but they had nothing with them so could not be arrested. At about 20:00, we were notified of cars in Ocean View Drive again and a white Golf was seen leaving Rooiels. ASK and DAFF were on the scene and felt sure that the cars were waiting for the divers. Rooiels patrollers also responded to the reports and drove around the village following up on sightings but things quietened down for a while with nothing being seen. An hour later, Emile, the duty response officer from ASK, responded to a call at Grace (Mary Comrie’s house, erf 192) and came face to face with eight men who had been hiding there. They scattered into the bush when he shone his torch on them. Patrollers were out in force to track them. SAPS was called and cars moved slowly around areas in Rooiels where they had been seen, people shone torches into the bushes (and set off a few alarms) and generally made things uncomfortable for the criminals who must have been hiding in the dense and scratchy fynbos. Unfortunately they were not caught but their operation has no doubt suffered a setback. The two community security Whatsapp groups, Rooiels Blockwatch and RE Patrol, were abuzz with information including sightings and movements of suspicious vehicles and people; which Rooielsers were providing backup; which enforcement agencies had been informed or responded, etc. This was very useful to those of us who had responded, and really proved the worth of these initiatives. Three cheers for Rooiels.
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RESA BlogNews and information on Security Issues in Rooiels Archives
January 2018
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