And a shot was fired

[Naas V]

Short version

 

Sat 1pm, Madeira St, Umtata. I'm abt to order a meal in KFC when a shot rang out in the street. I ran out, my car parked in front and Annalize outside screaming "they've stolen your MTB". It was true, mtb gone, Specialized racing bike hanging loosely on Thule bike rack. Black youngster(luckily not injured, two others ran away) lying behind my car. Policemen, while gathering empty round starts kicking all hell out of him. Big crowd gathering now. Me, policeman and 3rd suspect went to police-station abt 300 yards away. The next 20 minutes still like haunts me. I watched 4 assaults on mid-day crime suspects, including "my" guy. Weird thing thing was that the hitting and kicking was mostly done by women constables. Anyway, next moment some important policemen in civvies told me "we will not open document(case). we will now proceed with two vehicles into location renowned for gangster activities to try and retrieve your bike, you must come along. They pulled 2 rifles with fully loaded cabinets out the safe, signed for it and next moment I found myself, sheepishly walking towards the taxi-like vehicle and off we are - 7 policemen with me and 3 up ahead in policevan. Through the CBD, into this slum area while sirens howl, screeching tyres and all traffic ducking and diving to stay out of harms way of what's coming at them. Finally stopped at suspected hiding place of 1st and 2nd suspect, abt 10 k's away from place where crime took place. Into first house - no bike. Out they came, time for some more kicking and hitting. OK, now we're ready for next search, house next doors. In they went, out they come with mtb, front wheel missing. "Yes" I said that's mine. "Where's the wheel?" In they went, out they come with wheel. "Yes" I said " but skewer'e missing". In they went, out they came with skewer. Now all the racing and sirens and screeching tyres starts all over agin. No stopping at traffic lights, everybody must just get out of the way. Thankfully, soon we sopped again in front of policestation. I thanked everybody, took some pictures, everybody smiling, get some contact details etc.

 

So abt two hours later I'm on my way again, fricking hungry but keen, so very keen just to get out of Umtata - minor damage to both bikes.

 

I did ask the policemen "so what were they gonna do with the bikes? Oh it's really the prefered mode of transport for lots of people and bikes look very nice. So mtb(mavic crossmax tubeless, Simano xtr and Fox shock) would have sold for R30 at least, the racer( 2008 Specialised Tarmac Pro with chorus and R-sys wheels would at least fetched R50 )"

 

...must tell my insurer I'm way overinsured then!

 

[Tumbleweed]

jeez, naas, that's quite a thing!

note to self: stay out of umtata?

[Flemish Lion]

Another boring day in Africa!

 

Good to hear you got the bike back - I'll offer R200 for both

[Captain Slow]

My kinda town, Umtata is, my kinda town!!!

 

Sung in Frankie's deepest voice!!!

[AndreZA]

So did you ever get your KFC?

[masood]

Wow, big up to SAPS, wish all the cops in this country were as good as that.

[Grayskull]

thats one insane adventure

 

why was the wheel taken off tho and the skewer!?

[Grondpad]

So its true what they say on the hub. Secondhand bikes loose there value really quick

Good news that the Police actually helped you and that you got your bike back

[Shebeen]

classic, can we see the pics now?!!

 

were they locked?

[Thug]

haha, brilliant !!

 

Worked in Umtata for 14 months and still have friends living there !!

 

[Sammajoor]

sounds like a P K does work

[Shebeen]

classic!

 

were the bikes locked?

[Naas V]

Lessons learnt

 

• Use lock of sime kind -mine was only strapped and held by toptube attachment

• Never entertain beggers - they were distracting Annalize while some were obscuring the mirrors so that she wouldn't notice the ones busy at the back - car was fully loaded - view to rear inside car was minimal;

• Rather stay with your trailers and bikes yourself and be outside when in dodgy areas - your wife or girlfriend can do the shoppinh. Having said that I've travelled in Africa quite a lot over the last 15 years and this was the first incident of this kind

Don't know why wheel and skewer was removed and never got my KFC

 

[Poison Ivy]

Never entertain beggers -

 

that reminds me of how horrible I felt in Oudtshoorn a few weeks ago when all these children were begging for money/food etc in the P'n P parking area, ....and I just ignored them....and I knew they were cold and hungry... 

 

but I also couldn't ignored the bottle of glue they were sniffing... 

 

 

[Christopher Brunsdon]

 

Never entertain beggers -

 

that reminds me of how horrible I felt in Oudtshoorn a few weeks ago when all these children were begging for money/food etc in the P'n P parking area' date=' ....and I just ignored them....and I knew they were cold and hungry... 

 

but I also couldn't ignored the bottle of glue they were sniffing... 

 

 

[/quote']

 

Our Church has given us a novel idea on this: You can by tickets to your local nightshelter - usually R2. So buy about R50 as you at least know that the money is going for a good cause. The tickets are valid for a couple of months.

 

Whenever they beg, just give them a nighshelter ticket - if they use it or loose it its no loss as the money has already gone to a good cause.

 

Personally I have yet to get the tickets, but I always fumble in my pockets looking for a ticket when they beg for money. Have yet to find one who hangs around long enough for me to find it.

 

[andrewc]

My cycling partner's road bike was nearly stolen off his bike rack on the trip down to the Argus this year - while waiting at a red traffic light in Umtata. Luckily the driver behind him started hooting like crazy and then climbed out of his car to stop them...

 

 

 

Lock your bike to the rack and be paraat.

 

 

 

PS: Perhaps the lawyer tabs got the better of them while attempting to remove the wheel - hence the missing skewer.

 

 

 

Cheers,

 

 

 

Andrew