CPF highlights crime trends

Sector 1 of the Florida Community Police Forum held a community meeting at Laerskool Generaal Delarey on Wednesday, March 19 where various issues pertaining to crime in their sector was discussed.

CPF Sector 1 chairperson Hennie Arlow highlighted emerging crime trends in the area, warning residents to keep their eyes open for, among others, persons pretending to be City Power or Johannesburg water officials in an attempt to gain access to properties.

“Once they gain access to a property, they either steal whatever they can, or they rob the residents at gunpoint.

“Make sure you thoroughly check the credentials of anyone demanding to be let into your property, even if it means calling your security company to come and check their credentials.”

Arlow added that the area continues to suffer under an influx of vagrants, and called on the authorities to support the CPF in their attempts to hold social development operations, where vagrants are collected, taken to the police station for profiling, and then escorted to a shelter where they are attended to by social workers.

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“The planned operations have been cancelled twice by the Florida police. While we understand the reasons for this, we have to emphasise the dire need for more such operations.”

Sector 1 public relations officer Theresa van Niekerk highlighted the efforts of the CPF in addressing crime at hotspots such as the corner of Gordon Road and Lange Avenue, where drug dealers disguised as street vendors allegedly do their business openly without any fear of the authorities, illegally parked taxis disrupt traffic, and where a number of delivery motorcycle drivers have allegedly been robbed.

“We’ve started placing dump rock there to deter the loiterers and drug dealers, and we are waiting for final approval for a planned community garden.”

Florida police Sector 1 manager Sgt Bongani Mofokeng in his turn, commended the community of Sector 1 for their eager assistance to the police in reporting crime in their area.

“It is definitely making a difference,” says Mofokeng, who adds that the area is blessed with highly active neighbourhood watch patrollers and proactive security companies, which makes his job much easier.