Everyone is a soldier in the crime war
Crime affects everyone in some way, which means the whole community has to work together to stop it. The White River CPF, police and security companies urge community members to join them in the fight against crime.
The number of burglaries in the area has increased in the last month, members of the White River Community Policing Forum (CPF) have been told during their monthly meeting last week. Occurrences of theft and assault have also escalated in Msholozi, police report.
Despite these grim reports, there have also been several arrests of suspects connected with house robberies and murders, like those connected to the murders of Ms Rensia de Wet and Mr Clive Bowers, and trials are ongoing.
Following on the CPF and White River SAPS’ recommendation that farmers need to create profiles of all their workers, the two entities have been working together to inform farmers of the necessary procedures.
In the Heidel Valley there is still a lot of macadamia theft and profiling labourers in the area may help police narrow down the list of suspects.
Housebreakings in town seem to have decreased a bit but the few suicide cases in the last month have residents worried. CPF chairman Mr Ockie Brits has urged community members to look out for signs that someone is considering suicide and get that person to talk to someone before it’s too late.
Suspects using remote controls to block car remotes and break into vehicles are active at the Pick n Pay centre and Brits has urged residents to be vigilant.
“You need to keep all your valuables out of sight, test your doors to ensure they are locked and never open your boot to stow valuables like laptops or cameras while in plain sight,” he recommends. A CPF member suggests that valuables like electronics be stowed in boxes or other hiding places to mislead criminals that may have their eyes on you.
Residents were also warned to lock their doors when driving in the area to avoid criminals gaining access to their vehicles when stopping at traffic lights or parking areas.
During reports by subforums, residents were also told not to go outside when their dogs were acting strange or barking excessively. Brits warned that people could walk into a dangerous situation and told members to phone the police or security company to go check out the disturbance instead.
Residents of Macadamia Village were warned to close and lock their windows, especially at night or when leaving their homes for an extended period of time. There had been three burglaries, where suspects gained entry to properties without breaking in and it is suspected that they took advantage of open windows.
The various subforums were also happy with the positive effect the use of WhatsApp groups had had on crime prevention. Members agreed that these were a good forum, used to monitor crime and liaise with other members. It could, however, also be a double-edged sword. “If members post photos or names of suspects on WhatsApp, it can be detrimental to SAPS’ case against them,” Brits cautions.
On the subject of suspicious vehicles, members were told to not just rely on the registration number, but to check for details like cracked windows or bumper stickers. “If possible, also check if the registration number on the number plate and the license disk is the same,” Brits says.
Members were also asked to get more community members involved with subforums in their area. “You don’t need to radio,” Brits says. “There is a radio app you can download on your Smartphone.”
Since many of the incidents around the area are small robberies and attempted break-ins, an increased presence of CPF members can help to deter criminals.
The meeting concluded with feedback from a traffic official regarding the new island at the t-junction between Tom Lawrence and Danie Joubert streets. Members were told to pay attention to the fact that the traffic light did not apply to traffic travelling on Tom Lawrence and turning left into Danie Joubert, since a yield sign had been erected. Local traffic law enforcement had recommended that a traffic light be removed to clear up confusion.
Community members interested in joining the CPF or would like more information about them, can send an email to Brits at whiterivercpf@gmail.com.
