Umbilo SAPS bolsters visibility as new ‘tricks’ emerge
Umbilo SAPS took to the streets, engaging with community members and businesses to create awareness of prevalent crimes in the area.
UMBILO SAPS, in collaboration with various stakeholders, held a bold motorcade last week to bolster crime awareness and visibility. It included Sectors 1, 2, and 3, which were identified as crime hotspots.
The motorcade made brief stops at hotspots, including the corner of Sydney Road and Rick Turner Road, which is notorious for car thefts. The next spot was in the Rossburgh Station, under the bridge, where more cases of robbery of persons were prevalent.
The activation continued on the corner of Teignmouth and Weston Roads, where there had been numerous reports and sightings of public drinking. The last spot was the notorious Noble Road, which is popular for alleged drug activities, prostitution, and a hub for stolen goods.
Acting Station Commander Lt Colonel Thulani Miya shared, “This initiative is an extension of what we normally do, ie bringing together community members, local businesses, and law enforcement structures, to work towards reducing crime in the areas. Such an activity is a chance to educate the community about the types of crimes they may not be aware of.”
Miya admitted that the Umbilo policing area has a challenge with the homeless, who commit crimes ranging from house and business robberies to robbery of persons. “The homeless are a big problem. They are moved from one area, and they invade the next. They take every chance to commit crimes to feed their drug addictions.”
He highlighted a new method used by thieves to sense cellphones nearby. “And they will break in and demand the phone. This new technique targets iPhones.”
Another latest, in recorded cases, Miya said, “Since the schools reopened this year, we see a lot of cases involving a scam of sale of cellphones. The scammers would call the victims, posing as a seller, offering a huge discount, and request half of the amount to be deposited in their bank accounts.” He says students fall prey to this scam.
Miya mentioned that the theft of vehicles, common robbery, and burglary remain on top of the list. However he is confident that regular awareness, combined with the extra effort of the police and security companies, will reduce the crime.
Joining Umbilo SAPS during the motorcade were Blue Security, CitiMed, Homeland Security, Umbilo CPF, UCCA Patroller, Tracker, Durban South Towing, and Pigeon Valley UIP.
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