Akasia policing precinct a ‘trio crime hotspot’
Crimes which fell under the trio crime category were carjacking, robbery at residential premises and robbery at non-residential premises.
Akasia is a so-called “trio crime” (carjacking, robberies at residential and non-residential premises) hotspot, according to crime statistics released by police minister Bheki Cele last week.
The local police station was ranked 20th among the top 30 police stations where the most trio crimes were reported between April and June this year.
This as 93 cases were recorded at the police station between April and June, compared to 51 cases during the same period last year.
This meant an increase of 42 cases.
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Trio crimes, across the country, recorded a 57.1% increase and a 64% increase in the Gauteng province.
This translated to 5 723 more trio crimes in the country and 2 422 in the province.
“Aggravated robberies such as carjacking increased by 92.2% compared to the previous corresponding period,” Cele said.
He, however, attributed the large increase to the 2020 hard lockdown.
Compared to 2019, it came down to only a 13.1% increase.
“There were 1 340 more residential robberies between April and June 2020, compared to the corresponding period in the previous year [but] compared to 2019, 132 more cases were recorded,” Cele said.
In recent weeks, Akasia police spokesperson Constable Lindiwe Mdluli confirmed there had been an increase in the number of break-ins, particularly in The Orchards.
“However, we have increased our campaigns to tackle this and plan our operations per crime statistics,” she explained.
Mdluli further said that while they were still tracing some suspects, at least two suspects had been arrested following two separate house break-ins in the Chantelle and The Orchards suburbs.
“This goes to show that police are trying to work hard,” she said.
She further said another challenge faced by police in tracing burglary suspects in the precinct was undocumented foreign nationals.
“We are doing everything we can to trace the suspects behind these crimes.”
“Complainants should also know that it does not mean investigations stop when there is no communication from the detectives – they are ongoing.
“We also urge complainants to come forward and follow up with the detectives as it is their right to know what is happening with their cases,” Mdluli said.
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