Karen Lusse & family robbed at knifepoint by five black muggers outside zoo: complaint on Hello-Peter --
Sunday 27 October 2013:
http://www.hellopeter.com/pretoria-zoo-national-zoo/complaints/mugged-outside-pretoria-zoo-1232475
Sunday August 24 2014:
http://hellopeter.com/pretoria-zoo-national-zoo/attacked-and-robbed-outside-zoo-1492184
August 27 2014 A spokesman for the metropolice blames the problem on 'illegal parking' ..
-- reported by: Tebogo Monama
PretoriaNews - Visitors to the Pretoria zoo are worried about their safety after a family was attacked at knifepoint. The family visited the zoo in Boom Street, next to the busy taxi rank, on Sunday.
They were attacked and robbed at knifepoint after visiting the zoo, according to complainant Karen Lusse on consumer website Hello-Peter. She wrote that when her family arrived at the zoo, the parking was full and they were directed to a parking spot by informal car guards.
After leaving the zoo, they were accosted by five men at knifepoint, who stole their belongings.
Zoo spokesman Craig Allenby confirmed the incident but said robberies were not common at the zoo. “We have sufficient parking. If it is full we have an agreement with the departments of Education and Health to use their parking bays.”
Allenby said the zoo was in constant communication with the local metro police to try to improve safety around the zoo.
Metro police spokesman Senior Superintendent Isaac Mahamba said he was unaware of the weekend attack, but admitted the zoo area was problematic in terms of illegal parking. “The public must ensure they park in designated areas for their safety and to avoid fines or their cars being towed. We will liaise with local police to see how widespread the crime is and work on having operations in that area.”
OTHER FAMILY ALSO ATTACKED OUTSIDE ZOO:
Susan Burnie, whose family was attacked outside the zoo in December, said “after we were attacked, the zoo promised to get back to us but that hasn’t happened”.
Burnie said when she arrived at the zoo, the parking was full and she was directed to a parking bay on the street by informal parking attendants. “When we came back to the car, six men held us at gunpoint and stole our wallets, phone and GPS.”
Burnie said the zoo should warn visitors not to park outside allocated parking areas; warn that the "informal parking attendants" are not linked to the zoo, and it should have visible security.
Allenby said: “We take safety seriously and are constantly in discussion with the city on what we can do to improve it.”
Pretoria News
http://www.iol.co.za/news/crime-courts/family-robbed-at-knifepoint-outside-zoo-1.1741881
Sunday 24 August 2014
ATTACKED AND ROBBED OUTSIDE ZOO
My husband and I took our little girl almost 2. To the Pretoria Zoo yesterday Sunday 24 August 2014.
When we arrived there was no parking available for us. And we were shown where to park by outside "guards".
Later when we returned to our car, there were few vehicles left and we were told to wait before going to our car.
I could tell something was suspicious as my car had been washed even though I said I don't want a wash.
I could see the wipers standing up and told my husband. The "guard" probably didn't want us to leave without paying for the wash.
He kept telling me to get in the car and to put my baby in. They finished unpacking the pram and he urged my husband to hurry and get in the car.
Clearly he knew what was coming as my husband was suddenly attacked by 5 black men with a knife at his door as he was about to get in the car.
They demanded his phone and wallet. He said ok and they put the knife away and he tried to fight himself free he managed to hit one in the face as I jumped out and screamed for someone to help us.
They grabbed his phone and ran into an underground parking. I was most shocked that a security guard who came past seconds later did nothing to assist.
http://hellopeter.com/pretoria-zoo-national-zoo/attacked-and-robbed-outside-zoo-1492184
Sunday 27 October 2013: Susan Burnie wrote to Hello-Peter:
MUGGED OUTSIDE PRETORIA ZOO!!! My family and I spent a wonderful day at the Pretoria Zoo on Sunday, 27 October 2013. When we arrived, the inside parking was full, so we had to park on the street.
Two make shift car guards "showed" us where to park and said they would look after our car.
When we left the Zoo exit (where the photo's are exhibited) we were bombarded by shady and unwelcome people selling all sorts of things, begging etc.
This IN the Zoo parking area. Once we got outside and made our way to our vehicle, and whilst strapping our kids into their car seats, we were apprehended by 6-8 BLACK men with knives.
Robbed of absolutely EVERYTHING and had knives held to us in front of our children.
They stood on the runner board of the car and leaned right over the children to look for any more valuables they could find.
Very happy to be alive and safe, but very traumatised at the same time! There was NO VISIBLE SECURITY FROM THE INSIDE PARKING AREA OF THE ZOO TO OUTSIDE.
I just feel that if parking is limited inside, security guards should be available for those having to park on the street OR AT LEAST SIGN BOARDS WARNING PEOPLE should be erected around the outside of
the zoo. WILL NOT GO THERE AGAIN IN MY LIFE.
http://www.hellopeter.com/pretoria-zoo-national-zoo/complaints/mugged-outside-pretoria-zoo-1232475
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