Local crime fighters say while there’s been a national decrease in serious crimes, criminals are now going after smaller fry and many are turning to house break-ins and robberies.
The recently announced decrease in the murder rate nationally and provincially is most welcome, but Craig Adendorff of crime-fighting initiative Sun Cell Watch says that crime is creeping closer to the homes we live in.
The reasons, according to experts, include a concerted move by police to clamp down on serious crime – which increases the risk for criminals previously operating in that violent arena, thus they are now increasingly turning to housebreaking – and apathy among home owners regarding their safety and security.
Adendorff of Sun Cell Watch, which covers, among other areas, Durban North, Glen Anil, Virginia, Sunningdale, Umhlanga and Ballito, painted a rather gloomy picture of an increase in robberies and housebreakings.
“Thieves had a 10-month year, because policing was beefed up so extensively during the World Cup, and now they are playing catch-up,” he said.
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“Unfortunately house break-ins and robberies have a huge effect on the psychological well-being of people in a community. People can’t cope with the thought that thieves have ransacked their homes and have been through their worldly possessions. As a result, people often sell up and move on.
“House thieves are able to derail a sliding gate; smash down a front door of a home after they have crow-barred down the security gate; enter the house; pull everything out of the cupboards on to the floor; collect valuables like jewellery; grab laptops and desktops, including the plasma screen off the wall; get into the waiting car and vanish within just three minutes. Even though the house alarm is activated and the siren sounding, it’s no worry to them at all.”
Adendorff said he believed thieves did not target specific areas, but rather “continuously cruised around looking for opportunities”. “Their activity increases on weekends and even more so towards month end.”
Adendorff says he believes the next reporting period will reveal some ugly figures: “The past month has been really bad. The 2010 to 2011 crime statistics are going to be shockers. All the areas where we operate have seen a marked upswing in recent weeks.”
He said home owners’ complacency was a “would-be robber’s best friend”. “Most of us are apathetic. We should give the police more support and back community policing forums. Criminals are waiting to strike when we drop our guard. We must be vigilant at all times.”
However, he insisted all was not doom and gloom: “We have a lovely country and we must all do our bit by working hand in hand with your local CPF and the police and initiatives such as Sun Cell Watch.
Sun Cell Watch offers a service whereby, after joining up, you can receive information about what other Sun Cell Watch members in your area and neighbours feel you should be warned about. “Forewarned is forearmed” is their motto. Sun Cell Watch SMS’s also go to police and security companies. The company effectively acts as an extra set of eyes and ears in the community. They also encourage active links with community police forums.