Community patrollers keep shoppers safe

The Festive Season Programme (FSP), which saw more than 30 patrollers deployed to different shopping malls in Vosloorus, has produced positive results.

Vosloorus CPF deployed patrollers to Chris Hani Mall, Naledi Mall, Lesedi Mall, Gold Sport Shopping Centre, Kathorus Spar and Pick n Pay in Gold Sport at the beginning of December last year. The programme will run until the end of February.

Programme coordinator and CPF secretary Jerry Ramohapi said: “There is a lot of crime committed at shopping centres during the festive season, such as bank-following, ATM card scams, the theft of stokvel money, robberies at ATMs and shoplifting. The patrollers are at the malls full-time and are working hand in hand with the police. If they notice something is not right, they call the police immediately.”

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Ramohapi said that thanks to the security presence at the malls, a number of arrests were made and fewer crimes were reported as compared with the festive season of 2017.

Ramohapi related some of the crime-fighting successes from the past two months.

On December 14, Jam Store in Chris Hani Mall caught fire. Patrollers called firefighters to the scene and worked with them to put out the fire.

On December 18 a 29-year-old suspect was arrested for stealing four roll-on deodorants and four skincare products from Clicks at Chris Hani Mall.

On December 26 patrollers caught a man stealing at Identity Clothing Store and called the police to come and arrest him.

On January 3 the patrollers apprehended a woman trying to steal cheese at Shoprite. She was arrested.

On January 5 a woman snatched the wallet of a young girl. Even though the patrollers were unable to catch the thief, they notified the police, who helped the victim.

Xolo Mthethwa, one of the patrollers deployed at Gold Sport Shopping Centre, said they are happy to serve their community.

“We patrol around the township in the morning, and during the day we go to different malls. One of the challenges is that we don’t see eye to eye with the owners of some of the shops. They are supposed to provide us with food since we don’t get paid for patrolling and protecting their shops. But from the police’s side we are cool because they respond immediately when we need their assistance,” said Mthethwa.

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She thanked the community members who provided the patrollers with something to eat.

Mthethwa said they managed to stop many robberies.

“Some of the banks thanked us for that,” she said.

Nkululeko Qwabe, who does her shopping at Naledi Mall, said the patrollers’ presence means she can withdraw cash without any fear.

“I wish this was an ongoing programme,” said Qwabe.