Cape Town - A day out to the beach turned into a nightmare for a Wynberg man and his girlfriend, when they were allegedly attacked by a car guard when they refused to give him money.
Brett Rycroft said he and his girlfriend were leaving Llandudno on Sunday when he saw a car guard approach asking for money.
Rycroft said he had not anticipated that the guard would cause damage to his Volkswagen Golf when he told the man he had no change.
He said the guard punched the top corner of his windscreen, causing “substantial” damage.
“I saw him walking towards us and I said that I don’t have anything to give. Then he was insisting I say ‘thank you’, but I explained to him I don’t need a car guard because I have insurance.”
Rycroft said he began arguing with the guard and he shouted a derogatory statement that may have fuelled the guard’s anger.
“I got annoyed and I said ‘go back to your country’. I could tell he was not from here because he had a French accent.”
The car guard then stood in front of the car to block them from exiting and Rycroft said he was forced to slow down as the guard wouldn’t move.
“He then hit my bonnet and smashed my windscreen on the driver’s side and bashed the rear passenger door, on the right. He managed to pull the driver’s door open but I managed to close it again.”
Rycroft said his girlfriend was hysterical throughout the ordeal but managed to contact the police. ADT security responded within 10 minutes.
“He was quite smug about it, he even showed his name badge to the camera when he saw my girlfriend was taking a picture of him.”
Rycroft said the guard changed his version of events when he was questioned by police.
Rob Dale, ADT managing director for the Western Cape, confirmed the incident took place and that the police would be investigating. “We can confirm that one of our armed response officers came to the assistance of a motorist who was involved in an altercation with an informal car guard on Sunday afternoon.”
Police spokesman Captain FC van Wyk said detectives from the Hout Bay police station were looking into the matter. “The incident happened. There will be a further investigation but no further details can be released at this stage.”
Rycroft said his insurance would cover the damage and that he would have to pay R750 in excess.
Cape Argus