Most of the business people who spoke to this medium at the Coastal Road Garage and the surroundings said some boys have been stealing peoples’ materials, pick-pocketing and robbing.
An anonymous source who spoke to The Point described the situation of Coastal Road Garage as “horrible”. She said the boys who pretend to be apprentices of commercial drivers often steal properties both day and night at the place.
“Sometimes the boys will stand beside my shop and pretend to be apprentice or commercial drivers. Whenever a commercial car arrives they would rush to the car and pretend to be apprentices or passengers. But they are neither apprentices nor passengers. So they just use that trick to steal properties from passengers; she explained.
A shopkeeper revealed that about six months ago, some people broke into his shop and stole three cartons of soft drinks and an amount of money.
The boys often rob people, especially at night, she said.
She called on the government through the IGP to deploy security officers such as PIU and ACU to secure the territory.
Another shopkeeper said: “There are many thieves in this place. In fact, now it has been minimised because some time ago, some security officers used to patrol this area,” he said.
He said it is very difficult to arrest a thief at the Coastal Road Garage and the surroundings, noting that thieves harbour one another.
Sometimes someone would lose his property but he or she will fear to approach the boys due to the fact that they are violent, he divulged.
The shopkeeper, who is also a victim of the Coastal Road notorious thieves, said someone stole his smart-phone from his shop just recently.
The young business man opined that there is a need for the government to put measures in place to secure the Coastal Road area in order to save lives and properties.
“These boys are following us like witches. Once a shopkeeper goes out or does something else, they would steal him/her on the spot, another shopkeeper complained.
He added: Shortly before Tobaski, the boys robbed a barber on his was home after closing his shop.
According to him, usually if a thief is caught and taken to the Old Yundum Police Station, he would be seen loitering around town the next day.
A coffee vendor who often wakes up at 3:00 a.m. everyday, described the security within the Coastal Road territory as poor.
“I have seen criminals robbing women early in the morning on three different occasions. These criminal activities show that this place is not secure” he disclosed.
He therefore called on the government to reinforce security at the Coastal Road area, especially during the night to protect people from robbery and theft cases.
