A car skelm who stole the vehicle of an elderly man met his match in Mitchell’s Plain on Saturday when angry residents chased after and moered him.
The 72-year-old car owner says he could not believe it when residents reported they had recovered his beloved blue Mazda 323 just hours after it was stolen at Promenade Mall on Saturday.
The oupa from Strandfontein, who asked not to be named, says God is watching over his karrentjie which has been stolen and recovered twice in two years.
He says the drama started when he visited Promenade Mall with his wife on Saturday morning.
“It was just before 12pm and we were just going into the mall quick for something. When we came out we realised the car was stolen and I wasn't really shocked because two years ago my car was stolen in Town Centre,” he explains.
“It's an old Mazda that I bought with my retirement money 12 years ago just to do errands. It opens with any key and that is how they steal it.”
The oupa reached out to his cousin who posted a picture of the vehicle on the Spot On Crime and Emergencies WhatsApp group and within minutes the image of the stolen car was being shared widely.
“It wasn’t even two hours later when I was standing in the police station reporting it when they told me a guy named Clint spotted the car in Oxford Street in Portlands.
“The community got hold of the skelm who is about 50 years old and beat him up. When I got there he didn’t want to talk to me but I could see the Mongrels tjappies and 26s gang marks on his hands. Hulle het hom goed gemoer.”
The oupa says he opted not to open a criminal case as he feared for his vehicle at the police pound in Stikland.
“Ironically the man who stole my car two years ago was just sentenced to five years in prison. My car is protected by God and I am very grateful to everyone who helped me get it back.”