The community urged to report all suspicious activity to local SAPS
He said that cases not being reported to SAPS and only reported to these groups are creating a major problem.
LYDENBURG – Housebreakings are rife in town and the local SAPS are urging residents to be vigilant at all times. According to Capt Alfred Moela, these crimes have seen a significant increase in the last couple of weeks.
“We therefore plead with the community to work with the police in combating this crime. Any suspicious activity, no matter how insignificant it might seem, should be reported to the SAPS immediately.”
He said that residents should never feel that their concerns are too trivial to report. In the last couple of months several emergency and residential awareness Whatsapp groups have been created on social media in town.
“Of course, these play a crucial role in creating awareness about crime in the town, but the first step should always be to contact the SAPS. Your Whatsapp group cannot arrest suspects nor react in the same way as the SAPS. By sending information about a suspicious person or activity to such a Whatsapp group, valuable time is being wasted.
“Police will react in each situation and not reporting it and sharing this information with these groups do not give us the opportunity to make any arrests. The SAPS can, once informed, investigate these allegations, bring in a suspect and take their fingerprints. Should we then find that his fingerprints can be traced to other previous cases or pending cases, we have then, with the help of the community, managed to track down at least one of the troublemakers,” said Moela.
He said that cases not being reported to SAPS and only reported to these groups are creating a major problem. “How are we supposed to react in such instances if these cases are not being reported to us? This puts us in a difficult situation and does not remedy the problem.”
Moela said that it is possible that a syndicate is operating in town with regard to these break-ins. “They are targeting certain areas in town. We suspect that once we have made arrests or pressure is put on that area, they will migrate to the next possible extension.” The areas that are being targeted include the following: In Mashishing, house burglaries are currently being reported at Kellysville, Marikana and Tonos.
In town the following streets and surrounding areas are seen as hotspots: Schoeman, Eeufees, Lydenburg streets and all surrounding streets in that area like Jansen, Brug and Lombard street.
“I would like to again emphasise that the SAPS will react on any information given to us about any suspicious activity or persons. We understand the residents’ concerns and we, in fact, welcome such reporting.”
For any assistance or to report any criminal or suspicious activity, contact Lydenburg SAPS on 013-235-2222 at all times.
