The Hikers Network reported that on Tuesday October 16 four vehicles had been broken into at the upper car park at Constantia Nek.
The Network’s media liaison, Miriam Mannak, said they had received the report through their SafetyMountain tracking service.
Ms Mannak said the cars had been parked on the section of gravel road that led uphill, north from the traffic circle at Constantia Nek and continued towards Cecilia and eventually Kirstenbosch.
On the Hikers Network post, Ian Little commented that the break-ins had occurred between 7am and 8am and that while a car guard had been on duty, it was impossible for him to patrol both upper and lower car parks. It is not safe to park on the upper section during the week but there are two car guards at the weekend.
Ms Mannak urged mountain users to park their cars in the main Constantia Nek car park during the day, in sight of pedestrians, traffic, and car guards. And to avoid parking cars in the area overnight.
When police stations in the Constantia Valley were asked if the break-ins were reported to them, Diep River police spokesperson Sergeant Zak Marais said no incidents had been reported to them. He said it could have been reported at Wynberg or Hout Bay. These police stations did not respond to inquiries.
Ms Mannak said SafetyMountain Tracking encourages mountain users to report crimes.
Zandalee Viljoen of La Parada, a restaurant on the other side of Constantia Nek, said they had no knowledge of cars being broken into. She said they hadsecurity guards on duty 24/7.
Other car break-in hot spots, as identified by Table Mountain Watch, include the parking at the start of Devils Peak trail (end of Tafelberg Road) and Silvermine East.