Community members should be more vigilant as the Christmas season approaches. This was the underlying message during the monthly meeting of the community policing forum (CPF) at White River SAPS.
It started off with the announcement that Mr Ryan de Winter had stepped down as chairman of the CPF and that vice-chairman Mr Dewald Oberholster would conduct the meeting. It was decided to hold the election during the first meeting of the new year and members were urged to attend. For more information regarding the nomination and election process, contact Oberholster on dewald.o@vodamail.co.za.
Reports from the subforums confirmed that housebreakings and theft out of vehicles had been steadily increasing in the months leading up to Christmas. In the outlying areas such as Benrock and Yaverland, a few cases of fence-cutting have been reported, while in Kingsview, residents have been warned that flatscreen TVs were in high demand among criminals due to the liquid and powder inside. It is apparently being used as a drug.
There have also been a few instances of card cloning, and people are advised not to use ATMs if there are any suspicious characters in the area. According to a security representative, the criminals fasten a camera to the ATM and then monitor people drawing money, from a laptop while sitting in a car not far from the ATM. Residents should make sure that the card slot and keyboard are fastened properly by touching or wiggling them slightly.
A representative of the traffic department told the meeting that people should go to the traffic department to see if they had any unpaid fines. With their new vehicle on the road during the Christmas season, people can be stopped and detained until their outstanding fines are paid.
SAPS branch commander Thokozani Zungu also addressed the meeting and said cases of property crime and theft out of vehicles were very high. He warned motorists not to leave valuables in plain view, even if a car guard is nearby.
It was also confirmed that patrols were being increased in Kingsview and the area around Frank Townsend Street to combat the increasing crime in those areas.
The White River SAPS will join the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Women and Children campaign by educating people at Msholozi churches about the impact domestic violence has on lives. The station decided on this course of action as several cases of rape were reported in that area.
The next CPF meeting will take place on December 9 at 18:00 at the White River SAPS conference room. All interested parties are invited to attend.
