GARDEN ROUTE NEWS - SANParks rangers and South African Police Service (SAPS) are on high alert following the mugging of a foreign couple in Wilderness yesterday.

The Dutch couple was robbed of valuables whilst walking the Brown-hooded Kingfisher trail in Wilderness. 

“We received the news with shock at about 14:30 yesterday and immediately responded by increasing the number of rangers patrolling the  Brown-hooded Kingfisher trail," says Paddy Gordon, park manager of the Garden Route National Park.

“Upon hearing news of the robbery, SANParks’ rangers and SAPS immediately went to look for suspects as described by the victims,” said Gordon.

The couple is expected to attend a trauma debriefing session organised by the police.

While SAPS continues to search for the suspects, SANParks has escalated the number of patrols on the trail and continues to engage the policing forum for Wilderness.

While this is the first criminal incident reported in Wilderness, SANParks is requesting all visitors to its trails to not take expensive valuables visible while on trails.

This includes jewellery, cameras, cellphones and other valuables.

The Brown-hooded trail is a three-hour linear route which is about 5km. 

Read more in Thursday's Knysna-Plett Herald, as well as online.

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