By Fiona Gounden
Police have warned Durban motorists to be on high alert as smash-and-grab criminals have resorted to working in teams.
One of the tactics these teams use is for members to stick chewing gum and other objects on vehicle doors at red robots to identify the cars as easy targets at upcoming robots.
This came to light after an incident where a smash-and-grab victim noticed chewing gum stuck on her door, prompting her to believe she had been targeted by a crime syndicate.
A 33-year-old Durban North woman was a victim a while ago when she stopped at the robots at the Williams Road and West Street intersection in central Durban at 5pm.
A man smashed the passenger window and snatched her handbag - which was lying on the passenger seat. When she arrived home, she saw a piece of pink chewing gum had been stuck on the passenger door. She said she had noticed a few people walking alongside her car before the attack.
Police spokesperson Inspector Michael Read said criminals were using these tactics to commit smash-and-grabs.
"In this case the criminal noticed the victim was a woman travelling alone and her belongings were on the front seat. He would have then alerted his accomplice by placing chewing gum on the door a few robots before the actual incident took place."
According to Read, street children are also being used by criminals to identify targets.
"We have had many cases where criminals have stuck chewing gum on car doors to alert their accomplices. However, in most cases, street children are being used because motorists don't really suspect them. While these kids are begging from motorists, they look into cars and check for valuables.
"They then place gum on the door nearest to the valuables. If motorists refuse to give the children money, they should be on the alert if they see the children still hanging around near the windows and looking into the vehicle. A few robots further down the road, these criminals will be watching for the gum on the door.
"That's why they are able to pounce on the vehicle so quickly. Most of these smash-and-grabs are pre-arranged and take place within a few seconds."
Police have now embarked on a crime awareness programme focusing on this sort of crime, added Read.
"We are working in conjunction with metro police in our crime awareness programme, handing out pamphlets and trying to get these street children into facilities as this problem has resurfaced.
"We have already been to Greenwood Park, Phoenix and Newlands. We will also be going to Durban Central, Durban North and the Point area, asking people to be careful and to lock valuables like handbags and cellphones in the boot."
CCTV cameras have also captured the tactics used by criminals in the Durban area which show distinct patterns.
In one incident, at the intersection of Centenary and Old Dutch roads, a criminal jumped over the barrier alongside the taxi rank, ran straight up to a car and without hesitation smashed the window, grabbed articles and ran away.
Wright said this incident was definitely arranged.
In this case, police noticed that before the attack, a suspect walked past the car and placed something on it.
"If motorists notice gum being stuck on their cars, they should consider diverting and maybe using a different route. If you see something stuck on another driver's car, alert that person and immediately remove it."
Wright said police had noticed many other patterns used by these criminals.
"In another case we found that a 'leader' walked past stationary cars at a robot and alerted his team who would approach from the other side of the car.
"While the leader distracted the driver by walking in front of the car, his accomplice would smash the window and grab. The driver was unaware of someone at the passenger window until it was too late."
Criminals changing their clothes after a crime is another effective escape ploy, he added.