Brazen thieves target Airbnb in Sea Point
Cape Town - Police have yet to make an arrest following a brazen burglary at an Airbnb flat in Sea Point where tourists’ personal belongings, including their laptops, were stolen despite CCTV and electrical fencing.
Neither police nor local authorities could confirm whether the burglary was the work of a syndicate in the Sea Point area.
Meanwhile, the tourists have geolocated their laptops in the Imam Haron, Lansdowne and Crawford area but to no avail as they have received no assistance from police in retrieving their equipment.
Earlier this week, French tourist Fabien Bazonge took to social media to share his experience after losing his identity book, personal documents and laptops after an intruder broke into the flat they were staying in.
Bezonge contacted law enforcement via The Atlantic Seaboard Community Forum on Facebook, asking for help.
He opened a case with the police and said he was puzzled by how the thieves had managed to walk off with their property while the area had electric fencing and CCTV.
Bezonge told Weekend Argus they had not received feedback from police.
Bezonge said the Airbnb flat was in High Level Road in Sea Point but could not provide its correct name. Via social media, he wrote on Monday: “We are tourists visiting Cape Town and recently suffered a break-in in our Airbnb in Sea Point.
“Someone suggested we post our experience here in the hope that local residents or the ward councillor would be able to assist.”
Police spokesperson Captain FC van Wyk confirmed there had yet to be an arrest. “Kindly be advised that the mentioned case number is a burglary-residential registered at Sea Point SAPS for investigation. Investigations continue, no arrest as yet.”
Ward councillor Nicola Jowell said she was not aware of the incident being linked to any syndicates operating at guest houses in the Sea Point community. She added that police were in possession of virtual evidence which could help to nab the thieves.
“In this instance it was a block of flats from where the theft occurred,” she said.
Heather Tager, chief operations officer of the Sea Point CID, said they were unaware of the incident.
The Sea Point Fresnaye Bantry Bay and Residents Association did not respond to queries.