The once-pristine vehicles that lined the parking area of SA Suburban Auto in Walmer have been replaced by mounds of debris while the now decrepit building is being stolen piece by piece.
And while the building on the corner of 6th Avenue and Prospect Road still bears SA Suburban Auto signage, the rest, including tiles, windows and piping, has been stolen – in broad daylight – by vagrants, much to the dismay of neighbouring businesses.
Property mogul Warren Jack said the building was left vacant late in 2018 when the car dealership and car-wash business vacated the premises.
“It’s wrong to leave the property unattended.
“It’s terrible. The owners should have locked it up, or put in an alarm system.
“If it was the property of Ken Denton, who pumps millions into the city – everyone will be up in arms,” he said.
Jack said the building attracted criminals to the area and urged the municipality to be part of a solution for abandoned buildings in the city.
Kay Knight, one of the owners, said: “I am in hospital. Someone will get back to you.”
She has yet to respond and attempts to contact her on Monday were unsuccessful.
Concerned residents alerted The Herald about the building being stripped.
A 70-year-old business owner in the area, who did not want to be named, said the property had been attracting criminal elements.
“Obviously, it’s affected our operation. Patrons will think twice to come to an establishment near rundown buildings.
“Initially, we used to call a security company to keep vagrants at bay, but I guess it has given in due to the huge theft.
“They [vagrants] are there every day and they take turns [looting],” he said.
The thieves stripped the car sales business and the car-wash business adjacent to the property of window panes, water taps, ceilings, toilet seats, sliding doors, copper cables and light fittings.
A Walmer resident, who referred to himself simply as “Tony”, 56, said crime was increasingly rampant
“Piece by piece, brick by brick and tile by tile, vagrants steal in broad daylight.
“This place is in a shambles. The crime rate, with prostitution and drugs, has reached an [epidemic] proportion.
“Basically, the area has become like Central,” he said.
An employee working across the road said: “We see vagrants going there daily.
“Each day there is a guy to steal the leftovers of the previous group.
“I saw them remove, for example, a sliding door and then smash the glass to get the steel,” he said.
An Algoa Security official, who did not want to be named, said the vandalism started when the dealership moved out and there was no proper security in place.
“My vehicles do go and see whether or not vagrants sleep on the premises, but it’s very difficult.
“The owner did not fence or station a permanent guard.
“Neighbouring businesses are tired of the crime,” he said.
The Herald learnt the premises would be developed to make way for a food outlet.
Captain Johan Rheeder said police were aware of the property, which had been left vacant since November, but no case had been opened regarding damage to the building.