Patrolling and fencing boost security in Athlone Park
Patrollers have repaired sections of a fence to close off escape routes to minimise theft in the area as well as to make it easier to apprehend suspects.
IN response to rising crime, the Athlone Park Community Police Sub-Forum have been fixing fences and clearing overgrown bush in an effort to keep the neighbourhood safe.
The clean-up project began a while back when patrollers started neatening up a derelict house at the top of Heather Road that was attracting criminal activity. The next step was to fix the fence and trim back the bush that borders the freeway.
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The sub-forum’s chairperson, Rishane Rajkoomar, said, “The Heather Road fence has been damaged in many areas by overgrown shrubs, as well as by perpetrators who use the route to escape onto the freeway. Some of the patrollers have spent their morning repairing sections of the fence to close off some of the escape routes, in an effort to minimise theft in the area as well as apprehend suspects.”
The sub-forum hopes to extend the project further and encourages more community members to get involved.
Patrol leader Clint McMahon said, “We’ve had businesses sponsor equipment, while residents offered their garden services to remove the bush once it was cut down. Even if neighbours can adopt a spot outside their home and trim bushes, it will make a difference. We have to do things by ourselves if we want to see change.”
Aside from eliminating hiding spots, the sub-forum calls on residents to either commit at least one hour a week to foot or driving patrols or to contribute by reporting or providing feedback to patrollers from their homes.
Rajkoomar said, “We need everyone on one crime alert group to ensure information is received immediately in order to inform patrollers and security companies. We therefore encourage residents to join our official group.”
For more information, to join or to get involved in future clean-up projects, contact Rishane Rajkoomar on 083 305 3709 or Kerry McMahon on 082 891 7872.
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