I was lucky, Spanish visitor says after robbery

A FREELANCE writer and photographer from Spain, Martin Ruiperez Garcia, was lucky to have escaped unhurt from a robbery on the road near Oshakati on Friday.

He considered himself even luckier when his car and most of his personal belongings were recovered undamaged. Garcia told The Namibian that he came to Namibia to visit historic places and gather information about them.On Friday, he was driving from Oshakati to Elim, some 25 kilometres to the west.He stopped at a rest spot next to the road, and was accosted by two men who got out of another car.They searched Garcia’s vehicle and took N$1 500 from it.They then took his car keys from him and drove off in the direction of Oshakati with his four-wheel-drive vehicle.”I was alone there, helpless, and started to hitch-hike, but many taxis just passed by because they were already fully loaded,” Garcia said.Eventually a taxi did stop and he told the driver what had happened to him.The driver phoned the Oshakati Police and reported the robbery.Garcia got into the taxi and they drove back to Oshakati.Along the way, they found his vehicle abandoned just outside Oshakati.Apart from the cash and his cellphone, all his other belongings were still in the car, including a camera that he had locked up in box.”I am really lucky not to be killed by those men, also lucky to have my bakkie and my other items back.I thank that taxi man, although I don’t know him, and I thank also the Oshakati Police for having rushed quickly to the place just after they received the report,” Garcia said.Garcia told The Namibian that he came to Namibia to visit historic places and gather information about them.On Friday, he was driving from Oshakati to Elim, some 25 kilometres to the west.He stopped at a rest spot next to the road, and was accosted by two men who got out of another car.They searched Garcia’s vehicle and took N$1 500 from it.They then took his car keys from him and drove off in the direction of Oshakati with his four-wheel-drive vehicle.”I was alone there, helpless, and started to hitch-hike, but many taxis just passed by because they were already fully loaded,” Garcia said.Eventually a taxi did stop and he told the driver what had happened to him.The driver phoned the Oshakati Police and reported the robbery.Garcia got into the taxi and they drove back to Oshakati.Along the way, they found his vehicle abandoned just outside Oshakati.Apart from the cash and his cellphone, all his other belongings were still in the car, including a camera that he had locked up in box.”I am really lucky not to be killed by those men, also lucky to have my bakkie and my other items back.I thank that taxi man, although I don’t know him, and I thank also the Oshakati Police for having rushed quickly to the place just after they received the report,” Garcia said.