According to local glass fitters, smash-and-grab thefts from cars in Grahamstown have gone down over the last decade.
According to local glass fitters, smash-and-grab thefts from cars in Grahamstown have gone down over the last decade.
“I used to have to fit at least 10 windows each morning a few years back, now I only have a few a day,” said Kevin Van Der Merwe of PG Glass Grahamstown. Incidents of cars being broken into during the National Arts Festival have also decreased, according to Harry Rama of Grahamstown Glass.
Van Der Merwe thinks the decrease may have something to do with the presence of car guards in the CBD. And Patricia Cokile, a car guard on High Street, agrees. “It is mainly in private parking areas such as student residences where criminals choose to hit.”
It has been reported that some vehicle owners even choose to keep broken windows taped shut in an attempt to discourage thieves.
The idea behind doing this is to send the message that whatever property was there has already been stolen.
