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Tuesday 5 April 2011
UNCOVERED: The theft of a drain cover leaves a gaping hole in the pavement. Photos: Tauriq Hassen
Tel: 021 713 9440 Fax: 021 713 9481
GUTTED: This gutter (photo above and right) was ripped from the pavement in Retreat Road.
Drain cover thieves strike in Retreat TAURIQ HASSEN
A
N INCREASING number of drain covers and gutters are disappearing in the Retreat area. The covers are usually found on pavements, while the gutters serve to funnel water from the pavement into drains. Residents say the gutters are being stolen late at night, when the culprits can operate under the cover of darkness. Patricia Manual, a resident, says she noticed three covers going missing in the space of one week, which she believes is “unbelievable”. “Whoever these people are, they don’t seem to understand that this is our community they are breaking down. “You never see them actually
stealing the stuff,” says Manual. Manual twisted her ankle in Retreat Road last month after stepping into a hole created after guttering was stolen. “I just twisted my ankle, which was not that bad, but you can imagine what would happen if someone steps into a hole where the drain cover has been removed. That can cause so much more damage,” Manual says. Faseeg Efendi, a resident living in Cafda Village, has never witnessed the covers being stolen, but has heard of the covers being cut up and sold to scrap dealers. He said many of the covers would be cut up into tiny pieces, making it difficult for them to be identified by police or the council. “You can make some money out of these covers, because they are heavy. At the scrapyard they weigh
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Joseph. He added that anybody caught in the act or found with drain covers in their possession would be arrested and charged with theft or possession of stolen property. “When we come across a case like this, council (as the owner of the covers) is contacted, and they are requested to visit the station in order to lay a formal charge against the suspect,” says Joseph. If anybody is able to provide information on stolen covers or witnessed covers being stolen, contact the station and ask to speak to either Warrant Officer John Bartlett, or Captain Gavin Sheldon, on (021) 702-9000.
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ing stripped and carried away by vandalism and theft, with residents now becoming accepting. They continue to allow this to become a norm of life,” says Burger. “In order to take the iron strips out, these culprits needed the time and equipment, so surely someone or other must have seen something,” says Burger. Colonel Noel Joseph, station commander for the Steenberg Police Station, is aware of the concerns, and confirmed that the station also received complaints from the community. However, Joseph felt that the extent of the problem, “was not as bad as in other areas”. I still posed a problem for the community, though. “Removing these covers is not just against the law, but it also introduces safety concerns for the community,” says
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in all your items and then pay you according to the weight,” says Efendi. Myrna Richards, owner of a clothing store in Retreat Road, noticed that two covers were stolen from in front of her business last week. She now has pools of water developing in front of her shop, which she says is “unnecessary and extremely “inconsiderate”. “The culprits must know that they now cause us problems in order to make their money, and it makes our area look extremely bad,” says Richards. Richards did not see the gutters being removed, but says they also went missing in the night. A frustrated ward councillor, Jan Burger, confirmed that a number of locations around the Retreat area had covers missing. “Retreat is slowly but surely be-
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