Despite the relative quiet, residents and business owners were cautioned to stay vigilant and do what they can to safeguard their properties. Statistics from Spes-Plan Security showed that criminal activity in March had decreased with 46 per cent compared to the same time last year and April’s statistics were also said to be lower than last year’s. Crime had increased in January and February but several arrests had been made during these months which was thought to have had an impact on the above-mentioned statistics.
Mr Joos van der Merwe, operations intelligence manager of Spes-Plan, said it had been quiet during the last month and a half, and no robberies had been reported since the start of April. A few attempted robberies had been reported but only small items like electronics were stolen. There had also been two armed robberies outside town, but no tourism establishments were affected.
Last Wednesday (April 15), an argument between a taxi driver and the shop supervisor of the Engen garage nearly got out of hand when the taxi driver pulled out a weapon.
The supervisor pressed the panic button and Spes-Plan Security’s armed reaction was dispatched. Upon arriving at the scene, the security officers were told that the victim had been threatened before the driver put away his weapon and drove off. Nothing was stolen.
The supervisor laid a complaint against the taxi driver and CCTV footage was obtained and handed over to the Hazyview police to aid them in their investigation.
Hi-Tech Security Hazyview’s operations manager, Mr Rudi van Niekerk, agreed that it had been relatively quiet and said he thought it was the calm before the storm.
A few crime incidents had also been reported since January but several arrests had been made. In town there had been a few robberies, with small items being stolen, and a few businesses had been the victims of armed robberies. “We get about one armed robbery a month,” Van Niekerk stated and cautioned businesses to stay vigilant and lock doors and use lights to ward off robbers.
A different kind of crime, however, had a Kiepersol resident up in arms. Ms Petro van Jaarsveld’s Rottweiler, Chika, was missing for five days and later returned home with a snare around her neck.
The animal’s neck had deep cuts and was in bad shape. Van Jaarsveld rushed the animal to the White River Animal Clinic for treatment where it was kept for a few days to recover.
Van Jaarsveld urged people to look out for snares on their farms and to support the Mpumalanga Animal Crime Watch who searched for snares and helped free trapped animals. Enquiries: visit www.macw.co.za
