CRIME GETTING OUT OF CONTROL IN DAR ES SALAAM SUGGESTS DIPLOMAT’S RANT
(Posted 25th January 2014)
A rant taken from Facebook about yet another bag snatching incident on a busy street of Dar es Salaam brought back recollections of a number of similar reports last year, including one where a tourists was killed as she was dragged alongside a car speeding off, trying to hang on to her handbag.
This latest report suggests extreme caution is advised when in Dar es Salaam and to be on the constant lookout for suspicious characters or cars approaching and slowing down, occupants ready to pounce and rob.
On Wednesday January 22nd, I went out to dinner with family and Friends at Spurs – Blue Rock, recently opened at the IT Plaza on the corner of Ohio St. After dinner we slowly made our way to our vehicles, right outside the restaurant. At around 10pm as we were standing on the pavement saying our goodbyes.
A black tinted Toyota Verossa, with the following number plates that we weren’t able to fully establish ( T x7x CKW), pulled up parallel to us. We thought they were about to park in the next lot. Instead the back window was rolled down and a young boy came through the window and quickly grabbed my purse as the car drove off. This incident didn’t take more than two seconds.
We managed to trace the iphone using ‘find my IPhone’ to a location Kariakoo between Faru and Nyati Street, however attempts to follow up beyond this point have been futile. Luckily I didn’t suffer any injuries and I thank God that we’re escaped without any permanent injuries. However I did lose a lot of valuables and a significant amount of foreign exchange.
I decided to share my experience with you all so that you can be more vigilant, be ware and be safe. As I’ve learned the number of similar incidents in this area is on the up and I urge you all to be extra careful.
Name Witheld – Diplomat
A number of related comments were not featured here in order to protect the identity of the diplomat but all spoke of such crimes being on the upswing again. Watch this space but more important, when in Dar watch yourself!
