[WATCH] Smash and grabber gets smashed: Skelm runs vas into a taxi
EINA: Thief broke his hip when he ran into the taxi
WARNING: Video contains graphic content which may upset sensitive readers.
A smash and grab skelm saw his gat when he ran vas into a moving taxi moments after stealing a motorist’s cellphone.
Witnesses say he smashed a car window, grabbed the driver’s phone and ran.
But he didn’t get far as he was knocked over by a minibus, which was left with a dent and broken grill.
The incident happened at the Robert Sobukwe Drive and 35th Street intersection on Monday.
The owner of the taxi, who only identified himself as Ntlane, says: “I received a call from my driver and he informed me that he got into an accident and he hit someone.
“I went to the scene and then I found out that my taxi was damaged in the front.
“People told me that the accident happened when the guy had just smashed someone’s window and grabbed a phone and then ran across the road.
“Now his criminal behaviour has damaged my vehicle, which I have to pay for myself, because he is just a phara phara (common criminal) who won’t be able to pay for the front panel and grill.”
In a one-minute video of the incident which has been circulated, the man lay helpless on the ground while people can be heard interrogating him about the stolen phone and laughing at his misfortune.
A man shouts: “Hy het ‘n phone gesteel! Smash and grab, ne! Sy been is af, sy been is in sy p***.”
It’s understood the man’s hip was broken and he was taken to hospital.
EINA: Thief broke his hip when he ran into the taxi. Video supplied
Bishop Lavis’ CPF chairperson Graham Lindhorst says they are aware of the incident and urges motorists to be vigilant.
“People need to be careful when approaching that hotspot.
“The smash and grabbers will not come to you if they don’t see anything (valuable) in your car,” he says.
“We have spoken to the City of Cape Town about getting ambassadors deployed at that intersection to avoid this.
“Neighbourhood watch members will be the best option to be ambassadors because they know the youngsters who smash people’s cars.”
Police spokesman Captain FC van Wyk said they had no record of the incident, and advised the smash and grab victim and taxi driver to open a case.