Mountain trails a mugger’s paradise

Update

GEORGE NEWS - Two muggings in the Witfontein plantation area on Tuesday morning 9 June have George residents up in arms.

In the first incident two young cyclists were robbed by five armed suspects at the top op Arbour Road in Glenbarrie, George, at approximately 11:00. Southern Cape police spokesperson Capt Malcolm Pojie confirmed the incident shortly after it occurred but couldn't give any more information at that stage.

According to information gathered from various posts on social media however, two cousins, Gert and Cronjé Beukes (both 15), were cycling on a route called Ferntastic in the Witfontein plantation area when they were approached by five suspects armed with a panga and a knife.

The boys were not harmed, but they were robbed of their Scott HT mountain bikes and cellphones before the suspects fled in the direction of the Witfontein forestry station. No arrests have been made.

According to the victims, the suspects were Afrikaans-speaking, coloured men in their 20s who were dressed in scruffy grey and brown clothes.

Cronjé Beukes and his cousin Gert were robbed of their mountain bikes on Tuesday morning 9 June.

Shortly afterwards a man who was hiking in the area was allegedly mugged and robbed of camera equipment and his cellphone. According to George CPF chairman, Rupert Pretorius, this happened near the Blanco area of the plantation.