'CRIME GOING UNREPORTED'

AS COPS try to combat gun violence in Mitchells Plain, robberies and hijackings have become a growing concern in the community.

A video has surfaced of a young man being robbed of his cellphone in broad daylight while standing at a tuck shop in Portland, Mitchells Plain, on Tuesday at 3.32pm.

The video shows a young man dressed in a white t-shirt show up to the shop and waiting in line for his turn to buy something. Another man can be seen checking him out and constantly looking at the young man’s pocket where his phone is.

A car is parked at the shop and the robber is also seen looking inside the vehicle.

As the young man reaches the front of the queue, the robber ruks his phone out of his pocket and his companion lifts his jacket, showing off his gun on the side and the two take off.

As the young man tries to question their actions, he immediately backs off after he sees the gun.

Public Relations Officer for the Mitchells Plain Community Police Forum, Linda Jones, said that robberies and hijackings are a concern especially as the community is too afraid to report the crime.

Jones said: “It is shocking, we know that we have robberies and robberies at the shops as well but people don’t report robberies as often. So SAPS don’t really know that these robberies are taking place as people fear for their lives and don’t report it. We also have a lot of house break ins but people tend not to report. We also had four attempted hijackings in Rocklands which is shocking.

“Our people are being threatened and then they are also forced and threatened by these criminals to withdraw cases at court.”