Cash and laptop computers are the preferred items of criminals in Polokwane.

Snr Supt Piet Marx of the Police addressed the Polokwane Chamber of Business (PCOB) at their June 2009 meeting held at Polokwane Volkswagen and Audi on Thursday night.

Marx said the most popular item stolen during car as well as house break-ins in Polokwane, are laptop computers. He said people who have to have their laptop computers in their cars, should lock it in the boot of the car and he again warned business people not to draw money at banks and leave it in their cars unguarded, as criminals are still following people from the banks and breaking into cars left unattended.

He also warned women not open car windows completely when they accept fliers and brochures distributed on street corners, as some individuals who pose as distributors lean into the car and grab handbags left on the passenger seat. Marx suggested that women open their car windows only about 5-10 cms for the person to push the flier or newspaper through.

At the PCOB meeting, certificates were handed to members of the Polokwane Traffic Department who recently acted swiftly to apprehend car hijackers and wo got the hijacked vehicle back. Members of the police also received certificates for outstanding service to the community.