Criminals are stealing from Glenridge homes seemingly with impunity with one woman describing how her Schroeders Road home was broken into five times in one month.

“We are scared to sleep. The thieves come at night or in the day. My jewellery, money and other goods have been stolen and there is nothing we can do to stop them,” she told the Courier. Others have had similar experiences with one furious resident saying he was prepared to take the law into his own hands after saying the police and court could not assist him.

Another resident explained how charges against a thief caught on camera in a home and whose DNA was matched from a blood he had left on the scene while attempting to push a television through a window ,was let go as the prosecutor said ‘there is insufficient evidence’. These and other issues on Sunday saw a public meeting, fluidly chaired by Ravesh Bisram, who said that it was ‘no use that people complain but are not prepared to join in and make a difference.’

The meeting aimed to form a committee to oversee neighbourhood patrols to beef up security. The meeting had the backing of Jacques Greyvenstein who successfully established a neighbourhood watch in Glencoe town and Councillor Pakathi of Ward 3 who is part of the Sithembile Street Patrol system.

Both these community initiatives have the backing of Captain Nxumalo, acting Glencoe station commander, and his members and Lloyd Kgotshane of the Glencoe Community Police Forum. Roshan Narrandes was voted in as chairperson of a committee to coordinate neighbourhood patrols in Glenridge. He said he would coordinate with other neighbourhood watches and the SAPS under the Community in Blue project, which has the backing of the National Minister of Police.

Captain Nxumalo welcomed the move by Glenridge residents saying all ‘are welcome to join the patrols’. “There is just a policy whereby volunteers are screened to check for criminal records etc. The SAPS need all the support we can get. Often, the Court withdraws charges against an accused because witnesses and even those who opened the charge do not report to the court case.”

He said the SAPS sympathized with Glenridge residents but was well aware that the SAPS faced a shortage of resources such as vans, members.

Other concerns included dilapidated buildings that have become hideouts for criminals and so-called ‘paras’ who target copper pipes. Rafiq Iqbal of the CPF warned that ‘none of us must ourselves become criminals by purchasing (obviously) stolen copper and other stolen goods’.

In his address, Cllr Pakati said he welcomed the move by Ward 7 residents in Glenridge to organise themselves against crime. “We can share knowledge and our experience from Sithembile where we drastically reduced crime by our street patrols just as Jacques Greyvenstein and his team did in Glencoe town. We started with 60 members and are down to 20 but we are still successful.” He added that some people dropped out because the service was voluntary. However, he was hoping that later there may be a budget for members to receive a stipend.

Fund raising can also be done to buy reflective jackets, torches etc.

Lloyd Kgotshane and Warrant Officer Vilakazi of the Visible Policing Unit, Glencoe, called on members of the new neighbourhood watch to work with police and to be committed by attending meetings.

“Whistles (can be) distributed to the elderly which can be blown in case of an emergency to raise the alarm.  This is one way to blow the whistle on crime.” Follow-up meetings are planned as Glenridge draws the line on crime.

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