Cape Town – A Cape Flats family says their Easter weekend away at a holiday resort in Hermanus was a nightmare after they were robbed of their false teeth and other valuables.
The family, who asked not to be identified, left in a group of 10 to camp at Paradise Park in Hermanus.
The Mitchells Plain family, who was camping in two tents, say a set of false teeth, a gold chain, gold earrings, Jordan takkies, three music boxes, three tablets, four cellphones and an outside light were snatched while they were asleep.
One of the mothers, 53, who lost her false teeth, identity book, bag and jewellery, now wants to warn others.
She claims they were fast asleep when a thief helped himself to their belongings.
The family has since opened a case with police.
“We arrived the Friday afternoon and on the Saturday we decided to sleep at midnight because we were going to prepare a huge lunch before we left the camping site,” she says.
“At 6am when we woke up, we only realised then that the other phones, tablets, jewellery, my false teeth, a pair of Jordan takkies, three music boxes and an outside light were gone.”
The woman says they quickly made inquiries about security on the camping site.
“We then learnt that the entire cooler box full of meat and wine from the couple next to us, who are from Parow, was gone."
The police were then called to the site.
But the mother says: ”They didn’t even give me a case number or arrive with any firearms. What if there was an emergency?”
She says the family immediately left the camp site and she is finding it hard to eat without her false teeth.
“This is the first time I have been without teeth for so long,” she says.
“I have been forced to eat soft food now and I miss my meat.
“Now to get a new set will cost me a lot of money which I don’t have.
“This is the first time we are camping there and some of my relatives have been camping for 25 years, even at Soetwater where it can be dangerous, and this has never happened.”
When the Daily Voice contacted management at the camping site, they refused to be named.
“We never said there was security at night,” they said.
“We know of the theft and we are not prepared to give any feedback.
“They [family] can take it up with the police.”