Abandoned laboratory a haven for criminals
There has been an increase in theft from garages in Currie Road.
BURGLARS appear to be targetting garages in Currie Road, with reports of three garages broken into in the space of a week.
According to Heidi Nutt, who is a resident in Observatory Court, which is situated at the intersection of St Thomas and Currie Roads, three garages were broken into over the course of a week. Now residents in the block are calling on authorities to clear the vacant property across the road from the flats, which they say has become home to vagrants.
Nutt said police had confirmed that a few garages in the Musgrave area had been broken into. “We are not happy about the vacant property across the road and are keen to get someone’s attention to have the property used for something constructive. It is not safe to have such a piece of open ground that looks really terrible as well,” she said.
Another resident said she felt the area was being targeted and she had heard around 20 garages in the road had been broken into and one flat at the building had also been broken into.
“The property over the road from us is a problem. Trees are trimmed every six months, but vagrants are definitely staying there. Last week I saw four police cars at 11pm chasing someone who ran in there. I have heard screaming coming from there. Something needs to be done. I do call the police twice a night to patrol in the area,” she said.
The property in question has been an area of concern form many years. In 2009, Berea Mail visited the property with former MP Margaret Ambler-Moore. The buildings on the site were previously part of a laboratory and have been unused for years. At the time, the Department of Public Works was contacted and the matter of the abandoned property was raised, but nothing was done and the property has been left to become more derelict over the passing years.
Ward vouncillor, Jethro Lefevre, is also at his wits end. The councillor has attempted to get the authorities to take ownership of the property, but has met with little success. “Nothing has changed since Margaret’s visit. I took the Shadow Minister for Public Works, Anchen Dreyer, there last year to have a look at the property, I have written to the health department and called Public Works, but no one wants to take ownership – they go from pillar to post,” he said.
