Cape Town - An alleged child snatcher was caught by alert Ravensmead residents after he apparently tried to lure three boys into his car.
Residents in Anemone Road went attempted to beat up the 20-year-old man who allegedly offered the six- and seven-year-olds party packs and invited them to get into his vehicle.
Resident Randall Botha says on Friday night, people noticed a suspicious black Toyota Tazz with three men driving around the area.
“It was put out on our WhatsApp crime group because the car was driving around suspiciously up and down the roads,” he explains.
“Then on Sunday at about 11am, there were three young boys at the huiswinkel (shop) when one of the Zimbabwean men got out.
Randall says the man offered one of the boys a party pack and asked him to get into his car.
“The two other men were in the car and it was still idling.
“One of the residents in the road saw what was happening and ran up to them and that is when the whole thing happened.
“The car drove off without the one guy and the community started going bos (hysterical).
“They wanted to moer (beat) him, but instead they locked him up in one of the houses and waited for the police to come.”
Shortly, after police arrived, angry parents started burning tyres in the road and in a video clip, some are seen carrying stones.
“Laat die * *** uitkom," a man was heard shouting. ("Let him come out,")
In response, a woman screams: “Ons gaan hom vrek maak.” ("We are going to kill him,")
Randall says he went into the house to speak to the man, who claimed he didn’t understand what was happening.
“The people threatened to kill him and he told us he was from Zimbabwe but living in Bellville,” he says.
“I asked why he was trying to get children into his car, but then he said he didn’t understand what was going on.
“The police fired teargas to disperse the people and they took him away.
“We are just glad he was stopped because who knows what he would have done with the children.”
Police spokesman, Capt. FC van Wyk, confirms the matter: “An attempted abduction case was registered for investigation.
“A 20-year-old suspect was arrested.
“He is due to appear in court soon on the mentioned charges.”