SCOTTBURGH Community Policing Forum held its first meeting after the appointment of its newly elected committee on Wednesday last week.
The report back from the meeting indicated that crime in general was “stable” in Scottburgh and surrounding areas over the last month.
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Areas considered hotspots were Amandawe, Scottburgh and Pennington.
Due to the high crime rate in Amandawe, it was suggested that a special policing unit be established there.
Attempted murder and arson cases remained constant and crimes which had increased included business burglary, aggravated robbery, rape and assault.
According to police, there had been a decrease in the number of drunk driving incidents reported.
Visible Policing Unit commander, Lieutenant Colonel Linda Chiliza reminded the public again to stop giving money to the vagrants who pose as car guards in Scott Street.
“We recently picked up several of these vagrants for loitering and one of the women was found with whoonga in her wallet,” she said.
“The majority of these people abuse either drugs or alcohol and when people give them money, they use this to feed their habit. This in turn leads them to continue begging in town.”
A member of the forum added that many of the bogus car guards lived near her home and frequently approached her for money.
“I give in, but only because I feel intimated and threatened – like many of the elderly folk in the community,” she said.
While most people complain about the bogus car guards and how they continue to harass them for money, there are also a handful of people who question the police when they make the arrests.
“The public must not interfere and undermine us when we are taking these people off the street,” said Lt Col Chiliza.
On a different note, Saps reported that the recent drive to fill 40 vacancies for reservists had been successful.
The candidates will now undergo pyschometric tests.
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