It can be a traumatic experience having your home broken into and your valuables were stolen.
Amidst the chaos, there are things we need to take stock of when reporting the crime. Citizens have become less motivated to report crimes as they might feel that they won’t be attended to, insurance will replace the stolen items or they don’t know the right procedure to follow.
It was reported during the greater Springs general meeting that too many crimes go unreported and the items that are found during raids lay gathering dust because they are unclaimed.
This is a sad situation because once the investigation is complete, a person can get their belongings back and save themselves the trouble of buying new things.
The communications officer for the Springs SAPS Sergeant Themba Tshabalala spoke to the Springs Advertiser on the procedures to follow when items have been stolen and a victim needs to report them.
Also read: Municipal employee arrested in theft case
“When someone steals, let’s say, a TV from your house, you have a receipt and a serial number. These serial numbers are usually on the receipt or on the box of the item that was stolen.
“You need to bring the receipt as proof of ownership and the serial number so we can identify the specific item,” he said.
Tshabalala also spoke about the importance of listing any identifiable traits that your stolen item might possess. These traits are then used to further prove and cement your claim of ownership for the item in particular.
“When you open the case, bring the documents or anything to help us identify the item. But this procedure must be done before the item has been found so we can trace it also using the case number to confirm that it was stolen,” he said.
It is important to record and write down when opening the case, any physical characteristics that may also help you with identifying the item.
“If your TV has a scratch from the past or your table has a defect, note it down when opening the case so you can get your things back without any trouble,” added Tshabalala.
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