UMBILO SAPS, along with members of the Umbilo Community Crime Prevention Association, did a walk-about at Umbilo Park on Friday morning, handing out pamphlets to people warning them of the high crime in the area.
According to Sgt Beverley Manqele from Umbilo SAPS, the Rossburgh footbridge and Edwin Swales footbridge towards Umbilo Park is a hot-spot for robberies and police felt the need to warn people who make use of the bridge and park.
The pamphlets informed people that the area had been identified by the SAPS as a high risk area for robberies and urged them to approach with caution and be aware of their surroundings and any suspicious looking people. The warning included that criminals operating in the area were armed and dangerous and people were urged not to carry large amounts of cash or important documents.
“Victims are robbed of cash and their belongings, at gun point or knife point and sometimes with broken bottles. There are also common robberies where no weapons are used but physical force. We have held a number of operations previously in conjunction with the CPF which proved to be a success,” said Sgt Manqele.
