SAPS puts plans in place for festive season
According to Bheki Zikalala, Newcastle CPF chairperson, the festive season is a particularly difficult and dangerous time and he warned that people should be extra careful when visiting the shops or local ‘watering holes.’
Over the festive season, crime statistics are expected to rise dramatically and people all over South Africa are worried about what may be in store for them.
For this reason, Newcastle SAPS decided to be proactive and has implemented the so-called ‘SAPS Plan for the Festive Season’ to inform Newcastillians about the possible dangers they could be faced with and how to avoid them.
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According to Bheki Zikalala, Newcastle CPF chairperson, the festive season is a particularly difficult and dangerous time and he warned that people should be extra careful when visiting the shops or local ‘watering holes.’
“It is very disturbing for me that our people get taken advantage of, especially during the festive season,” he said.
“I feel that if we can inform the people of Newcastle about what to expect and what to avoid, we can prevent many problems.”
According to SAPS, the plan is set out in five stages which were implemented in October, enabling officials to focus on specific crimes which seem to increase.
Acting Station Commander, Colonel Mike Nkosi explained the focus of these individual stages is to identify crime linked to specific times and areas, in order to be better equipped to handle any situation.
“When we look at specific times of the year it becomes clear where we need to focus. For example, ‘contact crimes’ occur regularly because many people are out shopping for Christmas presents,” explained Col Nkosi.
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Tips keeping you and your family safe this festive season:
- Petty crimes and auto-theft predominantly take place in Lennoxton and the CBD. Make sure you do not leave your vehicles unlocked or unattended and avoid leaving laptops, cameras, cellphones or other electronics in plain sight.
- In the CBD, many cars get vandalised with truck tyres and hub caps often stolen. When visiting your local shopping centres, look out for suspicious characters and make sure your car is guarded by security guards or local car guards.
- If you live in rural areas or on farms, make sure your animals are guarded, as stock theft also increases over the Christmas period.
- Many fraudsters target victims online at this time. Be cautious when shopping online or looking for a bargain. Do not pay money into suspicious accounts and do not give your banking details or pin codes to strangers. SAPS assures the residents of Newcastle their safety is paramount and its officials will do everything in their power to protect them.
“We already have more roadblocks to increase awareness and visibility. We also try to visit local shopping centres and malls as often as possible and members are on 24-hour patrol,” concluded Col Nkosi. Stay safe Newcastle!
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