News

CPNW NEWSLETTER – JANUARY 2025

Date posted: February 5, 2025

Dear Neighbours

Crime Update

Unfortunately, the holiday crime surge we noted in the last newsletter seems to have continued, at least through December, with a number of opportunistic crimes suggesting that more people were moving through the area with a growing focus on Beach and Mountain Road.

On 21 December an attempted bicycle theft at 06h00 was foiled by ADT Officer Maseti who managed to apprehend the suspect in possession of the bicycle. For reasons we are not privy to, the owner declined to press charges.

On 23 December at around 11h00 there was an attempted break-in to the house at the junction of Mountain and Beach Roads. It seems that the perpetrators jumped the fence and triggered an alarm whilst trying to get into the house. ADT responded but could not access the house as the owners were away and had made no arrangement for access by a security company. (This issue can be overcome by placing a key in a Lockbox with a keycode on your gatepost and providing your Security company with the code when you go away.)

On 27 December, in the early evening, a laptop was stolen from a cottage on a property in Rupert Way. It seems that the perpetrator was wandering through the area and accessed the property via a tree branch, then entered the cottage through an open sliding door. The laptop bag with other contents untouched was found hanging in the tree. The suspected perpetrator was seen on camera entering and leaving the area but is not known to have previously been in the area.

Another daytime burglary took place on 31 December at about 13h00, from a cottage on a panhandle property above Beach Rd. The residents had left the property at about 12h30 and got back to discover the break-in at about 14h30.

The suspects had kicked open the door and ransacked the cottage, taking a laptop, jewellery and an electric drill, as well as minor items, including a 2-litre juice bottle that allowed identification of the suspects on camera, calming walking up Beach Rd sipping the juice! The camera footage has been shared with security companies, SANParks and SAPS for further investigation. Investigation of the latter incident revealed reports of regular robbery attempts at two building sites high above Beach Road. (We are in the process of engaging with the owners and getting them on board.)

Border Concerns

The border of our neighbourhood along Chapman’s Peak Drive has become a particular area of concern in the past few months. It seems to have become a key point of access because we have better cover on the other boundaries and building activity in that area has increased.

This area is unfortunately not easy to secure, as the boundary is uneven with undeveloped plots, areas of Road Reserve and TMNP property between fences, uneven ground and areas of dense bush. We are currently mapping the area in detail, developing a database of property owners, and looking at access points to develop a strategic approach to secure it. We will in due course contact neighbours on that boundary to take this further and we would love to hear everyone’s thoughts!

We also had word that the SANParks hut was broken into, as on 15 January the door was found open and a wheelbarrow was missing. Camera footage has revealed no sign of the wheelbarrow being taken so we can only guess it was taken into the bushes and down the beach.

Car Badges

Finally, and most recently, we received several reports of car badges being removed from cars and stolen on Saturday 1 February. A review of camera footage revealed three young adolescent males, at least one of whom was identified as a local resident, brazenly at work, clearly ignorant of camera technology!

This is, sadly, a criminal act, and we would fully defend the right of any of the complainants to lay a charge with SAPS, to whom we will provide footage (which we have not otherwise made publically available), if requested to. We are aware that the parents of at least one of the boys were appropriately concerned and eager to contact any complainants. We are assisting in this matter and hope a resolution will be found that includes both compensation and justice.

Thriving Businesses

It has been great to see how local businesses are thriving, particularly at the Red Herring Centre, but this also raises the potential for both undesirable behaviour and crime. We are hopeful that, as good neighbours, these businesses will direct resources to ensuring that their patrons’ cars are safe and parked without disrupting the lives of residents. In what we hope are isolated incidents, cars have been parked inappropriately and affected access to local properties. City Law Enforcement has advised us that their Officers will respond to reports of such incidents by phoning 021 480 7700 or dialling 107 on a landline.

Fire Risk

Aside from the surge in crime, our other major concern at this time is fire. It has been 10 years since the last major fire in our area, and our recent wet winter with plenty of plant growth means that fuel loads are particularly high, with hot and windy conditions adding to the risk. We are sure that nobody who has seen recent footage of the devastation in Los Angeles needs any further warning, but just in case:

• Please be careful with any fire risks and keep the City Wildfire Emergency Number: 021 480 7700 and the emergency cell number 112 on your phones.
• Have a good look at your property to think about fuel load and “ladder fuels”. Many properties that were damaged in the last fire were some distance from the actual fire-line and fell victim to secondary fires as a result of falling embers. So, it is critical to remove anything that might be set alight, particularly if it is touching a building or its roof. Think in particular about dead branches, branches touching buildings and dry bushes around trees that could then set the trees alight.
• Check for accumulated dry leaves, particularly in gutters, under garage doors and in piles around the garden.
• Remove tall dry grasses and take this opportunity to do all the radical pruning you have put off – just be sure to remove the debris!!
• Check the hydrants in your street: follow the markings on the road and make sure the hydrants are visible (not buried under plants).  If you can’t clear them, log a call with the city.  You don’t want the firefighters to waste time digging out the hydrant when your property is going up in smoke!
• Finally, be sure that any firefighting equipment is functioning and available, including your radios!

I have to admit that despite sending out this kind of warning every year, after seeing of devastation in LA I did a proper “fire audit” of my own property. What I saw was truly frightening and really shocked me! Some of the problems are trees that were there before the house, but there was a lot of pruning I could immediately do, and vegetation I could hire someone to remove.

Importantly, it also gave me a strategic sense of what to  prioritise if a fire is approaching, what makes our home vulnerable, and how to defend against that. There is also a worrying thicket just over the fence, so conversations with neighbours need to happen. What struck me most during the last fire was the hot wind that came through well ahead of the actual fire-line, making everything in front of it tinder-dry. Then, well before the flames, came the sudden showers of embers that set woodpiles, bushes, even wooden fences alight. It is at this moment that the preventative measures really matter: small flareups here and there are easy to contain, but not when each is set up like a bonfire!

Keep Noordhoek Safe and Secure!

As with security, these are the constant small garden tasks that seem mostly unimportant, yet in one moment could mean more than anything else! So, we need to establish them as part of our lives, and the key to that is small sustainable acts, put together in a coherent strategy, and shared with others. Let’s keep on keeping Noordhoek safe and secure in 2025!

The CPNW Committee

CPNW NEWSLETTER – DECEMBER 2024

Date posted: December 29, 2024

Dear Neighbours

AGM – Thank you!

A big thank-you to everyone who attended our AGM on 18 November. It was good to see an unusually high turnout and a lot of new faces among the 70 members in attendance.

The minutes will be circulated very shortly and we invite everyone who did not attend to look at them and give some thought to what we are doing and how you could help us become more effective!

Increase in Incidents

Unfortunately, having celebrated a good year with a total of 24 incidents in the area from November 2023 to November 2024, we have since seen a concerning surge in crime, particularly related to thefts out of motor vehicles, as well as opportunistic crime in the Beach and Mountain Road areas. Recent incidents include the following:

Thefts from motor vehicles:

• 18/11/2024: Two cars in the Beach parking area were broken into between 18h10 when the car guards left for the day and around 19h00 when the owners returned to their cars. In one case a car door was opened and groceries were stolen; in the other case the boot was forced open and clothing was taken.
• 31/11/2024: A car parked in Protea Rd was broken into and goods stolen at around 21h45, possibly associated with car-remote jamming. It seems that there was a suspicious vehicle in the area at the time, identified as a white, single cab bakkie with a CY registration. The vehicles registration has now been flagged on our camera system.
• 01/12/2024: In another jamming incident, a vehicle parked on the Main Rd side of the Common was broken into and a laptop was stolen between 14h00 and 16h30 in the afternoon.
• 15/12/2024: A car parked in Pine Street, outside the brewery/restaurant complex, had its boot broken into and a bag containing a wallet, passports and other valuables taken between 18h00 and 20h00.
• 18/12/2024: A handbag was stolen from the cab of a bakkie parked on the southwestern corner of the Common at about 17h00. It seems the perpetrator climbed in through the back of the vehicle and accessed the cab via a sliding window. The discarded handbag with its contents missing was later found on the Spook Alley horse path.

There was also a vandalism incident involving the cutting of a cable at Monkey Valley in the early afternoon of 28 November. This may have been in preparation for a burglary, but the perpetrator (who has previously been arrested for crimes in the area) was identified leaving the area, and SAPS have been informed.

A theft of construction tools and machinery from a house in Mountain Rd occurred in the morning during the brief time the occupant was doing a school-run. The fact that the perpetrator clearly knew the whereabouts of the tools and had been observing the house, pointing to a possible suspect. We have supplied additional camera footage to the SAPS officer working on this case and we believe an arrest is likely.

Finally, quick action by officer Maseti resulted in the retrieval of a bicycle stolen around 06h00 from a house in Beach Rd. The perpetrator was caught by the bicycle owner who declined to press charges.

Beach Car Guards

With regard to the car break-ins, we are pleased to announce significant progress in securing regular and reliable car-guards at the beach park lot. The presence of car guards had become somewhat haphazard as the general decline in carrying cash has meant fewer tips for the guards, and their regular presence was becoming unviable. This was also providing an opening for less-reliable characters to step in and act as guards.

As the existing guards were also unable to stay beyond 18h00, we have arranged for a third guard, who is well-known to members of our community, to be on duty from 18h00 to 20h00.

The guards have now been issued with cards bearing a CPNW endorsement, their names and photographs and a QR Code that can be scanned to tip them using app-based payment methods such as Snapscan, Zappa, Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, Google Pay, etc. We will also be putting up signage to indicate our support for car-guards Marlon Josephs, Mario Constant and Paul Nkatha. We would be grateful if everyone could show your support, particularly on the cooler days when the beach is less crowded.

We are also very grateful to Ramos at the Team House and the Wibernet Team who have arranged Wi-Fi access for the guards so they can report any concerns, and to the Buzzer Team who have enabled the guards to use the Buzzer App for emergencies.  We have also put up a page on the CPNW website where members can make donations to the car guards.

Take Precautions!

So, whilst we can be more confident about security in the beach parking lot, other popular areas are increasingly being targeted, and there is clearly some criminal surveillance and jamming taking place.

The holiday season will no doubt bring with it many more potential victims. Although we have steadily increased our camera surveillance of parking areas, this is seldom much use until after the fact.

We therefore urge everyone – especially those involved with guesthouses, pubs and restaurants – to remind visitors not to leave valuable in cars and to be especially careful of jamming.

Please also report to the ADT and Deep Blue patrol officers if you notice any suspicious individuals or vehicles loitering near parking areas.

Looking back… and Looking Forward.

We thus come to the end of the year with what is probably a typical “mixed bag” of results for our country! We note what we believe is considerable success, and are confident of what we need to do going forward, but there are worrying signs warning of what we are likely to face if we lose our steam.

So, we offer heartfelt thanks to everyone in our neighbourhood for what you contribute to making this a wonderful community! We particularly thank our volunteers, everyone who donates via payments to your security donor or spontaneous contributions, (most recently a R2000.00 “Yearly Donation”  from someone we have not been able to trace – thank you!!), our AR officers and teams, SAPS, Law Enforcement and other services, as well as everyone else who gives that little bit extra to keep our home safe for everyone!

Wishing you all a lovely festive season and a wonderful 2025!

The CPNW Team.

CPNW NEWSLETTER – OCTOBER 2024

Date posted: October 23, 2024

Dear Neighbours

Crime Update

We have recorded two incidents since our last newsletter. The first took place at Monkey Valley in the early evening of 23 September, when a guest cottage was broken into whilst the residents were out. An outdoor shower-pipe was used as a crowbar to open a side window.

Stolen items included jewellery, cash in euros, an iPad and ear pods. A number of other possessions, including passports, were found discarded in the area. A tracker in one of the stolen items revealed that the suspect(s) had fled along the beach path and then climbed up to Chapmans Peak Drive, where they were picked up.

Further follow-up on the tracker was traced to Masiphumelele. But despite a raid by SAPS, there has been no further success.

The second incident took place on 11 October at 6 am but was only discovered some time later because a vehicle door was left open. Camera footage revealed a female suspect believed to have been seen previously in the area operating as a bin-picker.

She had entered the property by climbing through a gate, found a vehicle door unlocked and searched it for items, then tried to open another vehicle. She then seemed to probe other areas of the property before being deterred by dogs and the sounding of an alarm.

These incidents typify two of the three most common types of crime in the area, the third being vehicle break-ins. Opportunistic crimes have reduced since we established a culture of keeping bins off the street overnight, but we have noticed an increasing number of people wandering through the area again in recent months, with some reports that people may be sleeping rough at various locations.

Prevention of Illegal Land Occupation

Whilst we recognise the rights of anyone to walk around in the area and expect our service providers and members to treat them with respect, this does not include living on City or SANParks property, which is an issue best dealt with as promptly as possible.

Our understanding is that the Prevention of Illegal Eviction from and Unlawful Occupation of Land Act (PIE) of 1998, which regulates land occupation rights, defines Unlawful Occupation as the occupation of land without the owner’s permission, whether this permission is explicit or tacit. Owners are considered to have given tacit permission if they are aware of an illegal occupier but do nothing to stop the occupation. This means that the longer any property is occupied, the greater the chance of the occupier being viewed as having tacit permission, making eviction far more difficult.

We thus urge anyone to report immediately if they become aware of, or suspect, someone is staying overnight on City or Table Mountain National Park land in this area. If the land involves the beach, dunes, wetlands, or mountainside above Chapman’s Peak Drive or above the beach at the Hoek, please report it:

1. By phone to Table Mountain National Park head office at 021 712 0527

and

2. By WhatsApp message to 071 807 8374

If it is on any other land in the area, please report it to City Law Enforcement at 021 596 1999.

Collective Security

Keeping one’s private premises secure is of course the other key to reducing opportunistic theft and vandalism, especially in the case of more sophisticated burglaries, where alarms and outdoor sensors in particular are strongly recommended. We run the risk, however, of constantly having to spend more on home security while steadily retreating into our bunkers. unless we continue to invest in collective ways to improve security in the area, which impacts all kinds of crime.

Our approach, in this respect, involves a few key principles. These are:

• A community focus
• Multiple layering
• Continual innovation

Community Focus

In terms of community focus, one of our first steps was to develop collective bargaining agreements with selected security providers to guarantee dedicated vehicles in our area and services that are appropriate to our needs and supportive of the measures we are putting in place. We also work hard to keep neighbours communicating with CPNW and with each other through the WhatsApp Community Connector Groups.

We believe that as a community we hold considerable resources, not only material but also in terms of broader intelligence, ability and skills. These would be wasted if we were simply try to emulate the roles of SAPS or security companies.

Multiple Layering

Although we do maintain capacity for patrol and response activities, this is by no means our only focus. Whilst not everyone is willing to rush out with a torch and radio in the middle of the night, the simplest of skills – such as being adept on social media, handy with cameras, good at negotiating business agreements or happy to phone people and collect data – can do far more in the long run to help fight crime consistently. So, we continue to develop a wide range of initiatives. Many of these have the potential to develop into self-contained projects, making it easier for more people to get involved with minimal time spent in meetings! This creates a multilayered and sustainable protection against crime, bringing together as many factors as possible to reduce the likelihood of crime in our community.

Innovation

We also recognise that criminal minds are always trying to innovate, and crime is escalating both nationally and locally. It is critical that we remain one step ahead. Thus we welcome ideas and are always keen to investigate and support new initiatives. But to do so we need to keep growing in a way that is manageable for us all.

With every additional person who comes on board we get stronger, whilst putting less load on individual members and at the same time making it a natural part of life in Noordhoek!

Annual General Meeting

On that note, we invite you to our AGM, to be held on 18 November 2024 at 18h30 for 19h00 at the Noordhoek Community Centre.

Please note this in your diary and make a special effort to attend!

Wishing everyone a safe month.

The CPNW Committee

CPNW NEWSLETTER – AUGUST 2024

Date posted: September 9, 2024

Dear Neighbours,

Hopefully everyone has survived the winter without too much flood damage, and we will at last get some sunny weather!

Home Security Review – Do it now!

Typically for wintertime, it has been fairly quiet in terms of incidents, but there is always an uptick around this time of year, so this is a good time to review your home security!

Burglary

We do have one serious incident to report, however. Most unusually, it took place on an extremely stormy night, on 28 August in a guest establishment on Beach Rd. The property, located high above the road, was accessed from Chapman’s Peak Drive, and a large amount of electrical equipment was stolen, including computers, televisions and batteries. As far as we are aware, no alarms were activated and the property was unoccupied at the time. There was also a report of a bakkie being broken into in Avondrust Circle on 2 August, but it is unclear whether anything was stolen.

Radios

On a more positive note, one of our more active committee members has done a revision of our Radio User Protocols. The revised version was sent out on the Radio User’s WhatsApp Group and will be emailed with this newsletter too. (You can find it on the website here.)  If you don’t have a radio, but are interested in getting one, please go to our website https://cpnw.org.za/ to find out how to join the user group and get hold of a radio!

Volunteers Needed!

We are also excited to have a new volunteer looking into a Drone Response project.

It is encouraging to see a little more interest from people willing to volunteer. Some of us have served on this committee for almost 20 years and it would be good to know there are others willing to keep this very worthwhile endeavour going, ideally for just a few years at a time.

For this we need a few more folks to put their hands up! Speaking personally, I can say that being able to do something meaningful to improve the security of both my own family and our wider community has been hugely satisfying. But it certainly did not come easily or naturally.

We all like to stay in our comfort zones and take for granted the many good things about our lives in Noordhoek. Caught up in our own busy lives, we can be oblivious to the efforts others are making to keep this place so special. Yet, anyone who has been involved in any of our community organisations will tell you how rewarding it is to realise the real changes residents have made to improve the quality of life for everyone in Noordhoek. Many of these projects started painfully slowly yet have built great momentum. Those who spend time in this area, including the City’s Mayor, recognise what a special place it is to live in, largely thanks to the volunteers who have put in effort to make it so!

So, once again, we ask everyone who reads this to consider how you could contribute some time to community work, particularly to improve our safety!

Camera Project

We are currently looking for someone (or two or three in partnership) to act as our Camera Project Manager, one of many projects developed by Patrick Wright.

This important role involves oversight of the 5 licence plate readers (LPRs) and 44 CCTV cameras we now have in our area, including:

• Liaison with security companies regarding monitoring
• Reporting any problematic or down cameras to the camera installer or network contact
• Responding to requests for footage reviews
• Planning new camera installations with the committee

A suitable person would need an understanding of IT and an interest in cameras, but any additional training and support would be provided.

Crime Incident Recorder

Another key position we dearly need someone to take on is the following up of crime incidents (some of which we only hear about via the grapevine), including the systematic recording of these in our database.

Fortunately, the fundraising systems we have developed over the years mean we rarely need to ask anyone to do work we can easily pay others to do.

So, what is generally required involves tasks such as information gathering, planning, liaison and project management. And as we are a bunch of public-minded, positive-spirited community members, we generally manage to keep our meetings short and often enjoyable!

So, if keeping crime out of the neighbourhood feels like a worthwhile endeavour to you, please get hold of us!!

Wishing everyone a safe and pleasant spring!

The CPNW Committee

CPNW NEWSLETTER – JULY 2024

Date posted: August 8, 2024

Dear Neighbours,

We hope everyone is warm and dry after a dramatic few weeks of winter!

Car-jamming Incident

It has been relatively quiet from the crime perspective, with just a single incident to report since the last newsletter. On 27 June, at approximately 10.30am, there was another car-jamming incident at the beach parking lot, in which a laptop, cell phone, tog bag and two wallets were reported stolen. Fortunately, we were able to find good camera evidence of the incident along with the perpetrator’s car and registration number, which the victims then provided to the police.

Car Guards

There had been no car-guards at the parking area at the time. We have noted concerns for some time about the regularity and reliability of car-guard services at the beach parking area. This service is funded primarily by donations from those parking there, under a rather loose oversight arrangement with SANParks with some input from CPNW. This arrangement has become even more tenuous of late for various reasons, including car break-ins and fewer people carrying cash nowadays. We are therefore developing a new project to try to improve security at the beach parking lot, at least during peak times, and work more closely with the car-guards.

Successful Prosecution

In some good news, we can report that the man who was apprehended after stealing a bicycle in Erica Rd had his day in court and received a three-year sentence after his prior criminal record was noted. He reportedly pleaded ‘not-guilty’ initially but changed his plea to ‘guilty’ after noting the arrival of the prosecuting officer. According to the bicycle owner, perpetrators in such cases commonly plead ‘not-guilty’ and are then repeatedly released because the complainants so seldom follow up with charges. This is a common theme we are hearing from police officers.

We are thus very grateful to the bicycle owner for pressing charges and providing the required evidence. The provision of useful evidence by CPNW combined with the active pursuit of cases by crime victims fosters a strong and useful relationship with SAPS and also reduces the attractiveness of our area as a target for criminals.

Committee – Update

We very gratefully welcome Rob Graham and Carol-Ann Stegen, who attended our last Committee Meeting to offer their help, and hope everyone will support them in working on the Beach Parking Project. We are also grateful to Michelle MacDevette, who has offered to help Karen with the Community Centre, and to the several new recruits to our Response Team!

One of CPNW’s key principles is that multidimensional approaches that also build a stronger community are critical to our safety and security. Hence, we have steadily developed an ever-widening range of strategies and know there are many more opportunities out there! However, the success of each strategy requires specialised focus, energy and time that is often beyond what a single committee member can reasonably offer.

Projects

Hence, we try to divide these into individual projects which, where possible, become the responsibility of an individual committee member, who is ideally then supported by a small group of volunteers. A great advantage of such a system is that it allows us to all contribute to neighbourhood security in different ways according to our interests and abilities, even if we never imagined ourselves as crime fighting heroes!

A few key projects we could always use help with include:

• Crime Reporting and Crime Data Management
• Media Management
• Membership Database Management
• Camera Project
• Radio Users Project
• Response Team
• Parking Area Security
• Community Connectors
• Security Company Liaison
• SAPS and CPF Liaison
• Voluntary Fire Unit
• Social Security Project

In addition, there are several important things we would love to do but don’t currently have the capacity for. These include developing a more comprehensive Beach Security Plan with SANParks and other players, establishing a Drone Response Unit, developing a system to engage with all who regularly enter the area to work, and establishing a Virtual Patrolling Network to continually monitor our streets as we expand our camera roll out. There are, no doubt, plenty of other good ideas out there to be identified and developed, so we can always use more hands on deck!

If any of these areas spark your interest, please let us know! It really helps if you are specific about what you’d prefer to focus on, so we can then connect you to a committee member involved in that project. If you would first like to find out more, please come along to our next committee meeting and we can take it from there.

Our next few meetings will take place as follows: Monday evenings, Noordhoek Community Centre at 18h00: 12 August, 9 September and 14 October.

Thanks – Donations!

We also note with huge appreciation the steady stream of donations from members, including neighbours linking up to pay for street cameras and local individuals regularly donating over and above the R30 monthly contributions paid by so many of you!

Vehicle-related Crime

Finally, we draw your attention to the concerning increase in reports of both vehicle thefts and thefts from vehicles throughout the South Peninsula! Please be very careful about leaving valuables in your car, and stay alert to the unsafe parking areas throughout the Peninsula.

Wishing you all a safe and hopefully warmer month of August!

The CPNW Committee.

CPNW NEWSLETTER – JUNE 2024

Date posted: June 18, 2024

Dear Neighbours,

Beach Attack

Alarmingly, we were alerted last week to another attack on a woman running alone on the beach. In what could have been a far more serious incident, the two perpetrators described as ‘young coloured males’ reportedly attempted to drag her into the dunes. This took place in the mid-afternoon not far from the horse path, on the ocean side of the lagoon. Its brazen nature is particularly alarming.

Although probably unrelated to the incident that occurred last week, this reminds us that even if we manage to keep our neighbourhood relatively safe, gender-based violence is rife in our country, and the dangers to vulnerable individuals alone on the beach cannot be exaggerated. Aside from our warnings, we do have some oversight camera coverage of some parts of the wetlands.

It would be invaluable to be able to make this area safer, but it is a vast area with multiple access points, under the control of SANParks with whom we are in contact. A coordinated security plan for the beach and wetlands that includes both increased surveillance and rapid response would benefit a range of different beach users.

Volunteers Wanted

Many in our community could no-doubt contribute different skillsets and resources to help make this possible if they were brought together. It is a worthy goal we will support in what ways we can as CPNW, but for this to really come together we need a group of organised, and motivated individuals. Let us know if you would be interested!

Burglary

On the night of 2 June there was unfortunately a break-in attempt in Beach Road, but the perpetrators were disturbed and left. Later at about 2 am there was a burglary in Malabar Close, in which a wide range of electronic equipment was stolen from a couple who had recently moved in and not yet installed security.

In both cases the perpetrators removed putty and took out a window pane to gain entrance. Electronic tracking signals on some of the stolen goods indicated that they were quickly transferred in Delft, before contact was lost.

Skilled Perpetrators

As with the Hoek Street incidents last month, these crimes involved skilled individuals, significant prior surveillance, careful planning, and the use of neighbouring gardens as access routes. We have twice been notified that the San Michelle Neighbourhood Watch cameras picked up suspects apparently doing surveillance late at night.

Thwarting this kind of crime is a huge challenge, but the fewer unsecured houses and gardens we have in the area, the less we will get targeted!

Rapid Response Team – Volunteers Welcome

We have a rapid response team (RRT) briefed, and with everyone’s support, we can hopefully raise the alarm quickly enough next time they enter the area to let them know that our community is too risky to operate in! Our RRT can always use more patrollers – note that we only patrol during an active incident, so there is no regular demand. The idea is to shut down the area whilst the AR Teams intervene directly. We don’t expect any heroics, and prefer if nobody patrols alone, so please do join us!

Camera Network

We currently have 47 oversight and licence-plate-reading cameras in use. As this network continues to grow, we will be hiring a local company to assist with the maintenance requirements on a regular basis. Contracting out work that can be done by outside parties helps to make volunteering sustainable, and we try to maintain this balance with the support of everyone in our community!

We are particularly lucky to have the Community Centre as a key revenue generator for CPNW, but it takes a huge amount of work to keep it running and well maintained. Here again we can always use more assistance. At times we will also have to appeal for financial support for key projects and encourage neighbours to come together to sponsor cameras or other interventions in an area.

Thoughts about the Future…

The recent national election has brought considerable angst for many, and the subsequent events have been both sobering and optimistic. The proximity of destabilising forces that potentially threaten everyone’s way of life have again been brought home to us, both by the unfolding political drama and the recent criminal events in our area. Both are reminders of the enormous task before us if we are to live happy and fulfilling lives in this country. Yet somehow our politicians have managed, at least for the moment, to find solutions that might allow us all to work together for a positive future.

At the recent Noordhoek Ratepayers Association (NRPA) AGM we were once again reminded of the tremendous amount local residents are doing to make this such a special place to live. Our future here and in this country can be incredibly bright, but for this to happen we need to put in the work. Please pause to consider what further you could do or contribute to help create the best possible future for yourselves and your children in this beautiful neighbourhood.

Join in!

Send us an email or attend our next meeting and tell us what you will do to help! Alternatively, join one of the other community groups in Noordhoek or offer to help the NRPA. The more we actively build our community, the more it gives back to us!

Finally, whilst wishing everyone a good winter holiday, please remember, if you are going away, to inform your armed response company, alert your neighbours and leave everything secure!

Wishing everyone a warm and safe winter!!

CPNW NEWSLETTER – MAY 2024

Date posted: May 30, 2024

Dear Neighbours,

Stolen Trailer Recovered

We start with some good news: Shortly after our April newsletter went out, we received word that the trailer reported stolen from Willoughby Drive was recovered and returned to the owner.

This took place after the car used in the theft was traced to its third owner in six months… The car was impounded, and the owner arrested after the trailer was found in his possession, already modified by him with a few improvements! The arrest involved some quite persistent detective work, and we are very grateful to the owner for taking the effort to report the crime and then follow-up with SAPS.

Our impression of SAPS Fish Hoek in recent years has been that they are working quite well, with dedicated but overloaded detectives. Our ability to provide solid evidence from our cameras and the improved personal relationships resulting from our members reporting crimes and working to support SAPS are really paying off.

Burglaries

In less positive news, we recorded two break-ins in Hoek Street on 24 April and 1 May. In both cases, windowpanes were removed to gain access into the homes, and a range of electronic items, cell phones, bags and wallets were stolen. In the first incident it was reported that there had been recent building work on the site, leading to the suspicion that information regarding security arrangements might have found its way to the perpetrators.

In the second case, camera footage and cell-phone signals suggested that the perpetrators approached through a property in Heldray Close and left via Pepper Lane and then through properties in Malabar Close. As with the trailer theft, it seems that much of the criminal activity in the area involves careful planning and surveillance beforehand.

Opportunistic Theft

On 27 April, in the early hours of the morning, a bicycle that had been left outside was stolen from a property in Sleepy Hollow Lane in what looks like an opportunistic crime. On 29 April a presumed break-in attempt at Monkey Valley was reported: two men were detected on the property but fled before they could be apprehended.

In another incident involving vehicle break-ins at the Common, a handbag was stolen from a vehicle during the horse show on 12 May. It seems the car was left temporarily unlocked, suggesting, as with other incidents at the Common, that the perpetrators were monitoring the parking area and waiting for an opportunity. We have now placed warning signs at the parking areas around the Common.

Kakapo Wreck – Crime Hotspot

Sadly, we also have news of another attempted attack on the beach near the wreck. On 16 May a woman was accosted by an African male wearing a red top. After ascertaining that she was alone, he flashed his genitals at her and later tried to assault her, but she escaped by fleeing into the sea.

Home Invasions

Finally, on the night of Friday 24 May and in the early hours of 25 May, a group of men carrying knives and axes entered De Goode Hoop Estate through an unsecured section of fence, committing burglary at one house without being detected and then invading a second home where the occupants were disturbed and held hostage while the robbery took place. This is one of several recent incursions into De Goode Hoop estate, possibly related to vulnerabilities in the security measures on the estate.

Vigilance Required

These incidents once again serve as a reminder that crime continues to be a huge problem and that, even in our own neighbourhood, a lot of surveillance is taking place. Sooner or later, any vulnerabilities will be taken advantage of. It is therefore imperative that we all keep upping our game! Whilst the De Goode Hoop incidents suggest that even very high security levels can’t guarantee total safety, we have consistently shown that building a vigilant community that acts as community and continually develops new approaches to crime prevention makes our area significantly safer than anywhere else! This includes securing properties thoroughly, employing armed response services, encouraging all our neighbours to do the same and join CPNW, and volunteering for some of the ever-growing list of tasks we’d like to implement as a Neighbourhood Watch!

Volunteers Needed for Chapman’s Peak Response Team

We have recently reviewed our CPRT membership and basic protocols, but we need at least a dozen more volunteers! We don’t require any heroics, we just need you to be able to use a radio, respond to a call-out, and with a partner, monitor a designated intersection, whilst staying in touch with a radio coordinator.

Call-outs are extremely rare but the more responders we have the better! If you are willing to become a responder, please let us know by replying to this newsletter!

Security Camera Network

We are developing our camera network all the time, with 46 cameras in the area to date. They use analytic systems that provide alerts and display images when unusual activity is detected, allowing for effective live monitoring and response. We are pleased that Deep Blue Security has quickly linked them all to their system and we are steadily getting more of them monitored by ADT. As these cameras are not cheap to install or maintain, we encourage neighbours to get together to fund a camera in their own area, and we are also very grateful for any donations for cameras that have been installed!

Volunteer Needed – Information Officer

We also need some help with admin and investigative work. Information is critical and not every crime fighter needs to be an action hero! So, if anyone has good skills in speaking to recent victims of crime, an inquisitive mind, and a keen eye for detail, we desperately need someone to act as an information officer, to gather the facts when a crime has taken place.

This will help us to keep accurate records, let everyone know what’s happened and, critically, help us to decide on future strategies to keep crime down. If you, or perhaps a small group of friends, feel you could take on this very important role, please let us know.  We will, of course, prepare you for the work and provide all the support you might need.

Community Centre News

In more positive news, we are very grateful for all the donations of photographs to the Noordhoek Community Centre. The latest contributions include some lovely pictures of ‘Old Noordhoek’. The Hall is looking more and more like a real home to our community.

Housekeeping

Lastly, a few housekeeping points:

1. If anyone has radios that don’t work anymore or that they want to get rid of, please let us know by reply. We can always use them!
2. If anyone is receiving this newsletter and no longer resides in Chapmans Peak, please let us know so we can keep our database up to date.
3. If anyone has changed email address, phone number, etc., please update this on your profile on the website or let us know so we can update it!

We hope everyone has a safe and warm winter, and for those who will be going away on holiday, please check your security systems now and be sure to let your security company and neighbours know!

The CPNW Team

CPNW NEWSLETTER – APRIL 2024

Date posted: April 25, 2024

Dear Neighbours

Incidents

Fortunately, we have had a significant reduction in incidents since our last newsletter, with just two incidents reported in the first week of March and three in April.On 4 March a person working in Avondrust Street was robbed on her way home. Rapid action by ADT patrollers enabled the arrest of the perpetrators.

We also had a report that horse riders had been intimidated in the wetlands by balaclava-clad men who were apparently poaching tortoises and other small animals. As the large wetland area is difficult to monitor, we caution riders from riding there alone. Please report any suspicious activity to SANParks on 021 789 2404.The rest of March was quiet, but as April began, two incidents took place in the early mornings.

Early on 4 April, a resident in Francisca Lane noticed an intruder fleeing from his garden with a stolen bicycle. He gave chase and raised the alarm, to which members of the Chapmans Peak Response Team (CPRT) and armed response officers responded. They quickly spotted the perpetrator, who then abandoned the bike and fled into the Nature Sanctuary beside the Red Herring Centre. The area was surrounded and CPRT members searched and flushed him out.  He ran directly into the path of an AR officer who arrested him. He has been charged with the theft.

Burglary – 24 April

Unfortunately, just as this newsletter was about to be published, a burglary in Hoek Street was reported.  During the night of 23/24 April a house in Hoek Street was burgled by a gang who removed the glass from two windows, entered and stole a large TV and other items.  The householder discovered the theft in the morning.  Some building work was done on the property a month ago and it is possible that the home was reconnoitred (and seen to be alarm-free) and the gate remote cloned.  Please set alarms if you have them, and never let your remotes out of your sight.

Photos and Social Media

Unfortunately, we noted some negative comments on social media about our decision to remove a photo of the suspect from circulation. Please note that this is standard policy amongst security groups because circulating pictures of a suspect can influence the credibility of an identity parade and so undermine witness statements in court proceedings.

On Friday 5 April, a bin collection day, a wallet was stolen from an unlocked car, presumably by individuals posing as bin pickers. It has been good to see that such incidents have largely been limited to daylight hours and we appreciate the effort everyone has made to keep bins off the streets during the hours of darkness. We have seen some slippage, however, and would be very grateful if enlightened residents would politely explain to neighbours who seem unaware of this initiative why we don’t put bins out overnight. If the person is genuinely unable to put their bin out on Friday mornings, perhaps the rest of us could find a way to help? Helping a neighbour will always have its rewards!

Lastly, we had news of a trailer theft that took place between midnight and 1 am on the morning of 15 April. Camera footage clearly showed the trailer being taken out hitched to a vehicle with an identifiable number plate. The number plate recognition cameras showed that this vehicle had been in and out of the area at least 10 times on the preceding day. A case was opened at SAPS. The feedback so far is that this vehicle was sold twice recently, the last owner has been visited, and an alert has been put out for the vehicle on number plate recognition systems.

Beach

We are very happy to note that there have been no further car break-ins at the beach and the common. We have been heartened by the response of our security service providers who are doing regular patrols of the parking lot, as well as our informal car guards who received a firm ‘heads up’. We have been informed that thefts of cars or their contents have increased in the Deep South, often involving remote jamming devices. Particularly worrying for surfers, we have also been informed that a gang seems to be specialising in stealing cars by breaking into key-storage devices attached to the exterior of the car.

Security Service Providers

We have been actively engaging with both ADT and Deep Blue representatives at consecutive committee meetings. Aside from immediate crime concerns, such as the beach parking area and home invasions in other areas, we have focused on ensuring better accountability by establishing regular reporting systems and closer working relationships, particularly through the proper monitoring of our extensive camera network. Our key emphasis with both companies is our philosophy of community safety by monitoring of public spaces.

Free Riders

We were particularly gratified to note Deep Blue’s commitment to responding to any emergency call in the area, whether from a Deep Blue subscriber or not. However, this highlights the difficult issue of ‘free riders’. It is hard to believe that there are many who can afford to live in our neighbourhood but cannot afford armed response. What seems more likely is that this expense is not prioritised because other residents are investing in this and so reducing the overall risk of crime. This, of course, is unsustainable. Given the policing inefficiencies and crime level in this country, paying for armed response is a very basic way of supporting your own community!

If we cannot persuade you to pay a security provider, we would at least be very grateful for an annual contribution, which most Deep Blue or ADT subscribers donate to CPNW as a surcharge of R30 per month, a figure we have not increased over 10 years. So if anyone would like to make an annual donation of the equivalent R360 (or more!), we invite you to please make a deposit into the CPNW Standard Bank Account No 270364439.

Report Incidents to the SAPS

Another very basic form of support we ask of residents relates to our relationship with SAPS. Despite the general frustration with law enforcement in our country and the stories of corruption and inefficiency, most SAPS members we encounter are dedicated and concerned about crime in our area but also severely overwhelmed. Key factors that can make a specific case stand out for them above so many other cases, aside from the actual seriousness of the crime, are the likelihood of a successful resolution and the personal interest shown by those involved. So, even if reporting an incident and then following it up may appear to have little material value, we urge everyone in our community to recognise that these are important steps to take for all our sakes. Even if no arrest is made, it conveys the message that ‘we have you on camera’, it strengthens our relationship with SAPS, and it identifies our community as concerned, committed team players in the struggle against crime. In addition, the crime stats in our area also directly influence the distribution of policing resources to our area.

Radio Network

It was good to hear people responding to the radio checks last week. However, it was also clear that many radio users are out of practice, with some discovering that their radios didn’t work at all and others needing to ask for instructions. Aside from relatively petty crime, our neighbourhood has enjoyed a considerable period without any serious incidents. Although we celebrate this, with crime levels in our country constantly on the increase, we are probably riding our luck. Radios are getting old and dusty, and many of our incidents seem related to poor security measures, suggesting that we are becoming too complacent for our own good.

We are thus planning a small ‘security refresher’ evening in the next month or so, where we will run through basic security measures, radio use protocols, response teams, our various WhatsApp groups, the Buzzer app, the best ways to call for help, and other emergency measures. It has also been good having more volunteers for the Response Team. This team has not seen much action for a while before this month, and some of its members are approaching (or already past) our sell-by dates for active crime responding, so new blood is always welcome!

Incident Reporting

Another key role we need assistance with is incident follow-up and reporting. This mostly administrative role involves following up crime reports in our area that reach us via a range of channels (primarily social media). Ideally, we need someone with the time to follow up these reports by contacting complainants and getting specific details. This would help us to ensure that cases are properly responded to and followed up, to record them formally on our database, and to provide our members with the relevant, verified information. If anyone is interested in assisting with this work, please reply to this newsletter!

Fire Risks

The wetter weather has been a great relief in terms of fire hazards, but we’re not out of the woods yet, as revealed by the recent fire in Fish Hoek, literally as the rain began! So please remain vigilant, particularly on the warm, dry Berg Wind days that become more common this time of year. Keep those gutters clear, prune back any branches touching the house, and keep alien vegetation at bay.

On the theme of supporting our community, it is always wonderful to see the fine work our various community organisations do to keep improving our neighbourhood! From large and established groups like the NRPA to small start-up WhatsApp groups like the recent one for local young parents, participating in such groups is a key element in building our community.

A strong community is a safe community!

Wishing everyone a beautiful, safe and peaceful autumn.

The CPNW Community.

CPNW NEWSLETTER – FEBRUARY 2024

Date posted: March 4, 2024

Dear Neighbours

Increase in Crime Activity

Sadly, the end of the holiday season saw a surge in crime activity involving thefts from vehicles and also properties when residents were either away on holiday or at home but in holiday mode.

Thefts from vehicles included one in the middle of the day on 28 January, when it seems a car lock jamming device was used to steal a phone, wallet and cards from a vehicle in the beach parking lot. Camera footage showed the perpetrators observing that the vehicle owners were well on their way to the beach before approaching the vehicle. Unfortunately, there was not footage that identified their vehicle.

A second vehicle break-in took place at the Common around 17h00 on 10 February, when a parked car had a side-window smashed and a bag taken containing a wallet, cards and ID.

Following both incidents, the bank cards were rapidly used to make online purchases or transfer money. The computer servers that processed the transactions were located well away from the area, suggesting that the perpetrators may be targeting beaches and other parking areas around the peninsula.

Several other incidents may have been foiled on the afternoon of 2 February after a CPNW member approached suspects loitering in the beach parking lot whose number plate had been flagged on the licence plate recognition (LPR) system as associated with similar crimes. We know of at least two other beachgoers who struggled to lock their cars at that time.

In some good news, a German tourist who accidentally left a bag containing his passport, bank cards and camera gear at the beach parking lot had his property returned intact after our cameras identified a vehicle that had driven off with it, which SAPS then tracked down.

Incidents involving properties included a house break-in in Village Lane at around 10h00 on 30 Jan. A window was broken, and items seem to have been sifted through but nothing was reported stolen. In a similar incident, a house window in Nassau Avenue was smashed at around 10h00 on 5 February, and again possessions were rummaged through but none were taken.

On 9 February, at about 13h00, a laptop and gold ring were stolen from an unlocked cottage in Sleepy Hollow Avenue. On the evening of 20 February, two men were seen crossing fences in the Cactus Way area, carrying various gardening tools and a gas bottle that had been stolen from a property. They were apprehended and the goods recovered but they managed to escape before being handed over to SAPS. We also had a report on 9 February of a break-in to an electricity box with the theft of copper cable, presumably during load shedding. These latter incidents came at a time when many residents have noticed an increase in foot traffic in the area. They serve as an important reminder that no matter how well-protected our area may seem, criminals are more active than ever, and when we drop our guard, the chances are that someone is waiting to swoop.

We have responded to this upsurge in crime by alerting both ADT and Deep Blue, and we are working hard with both companies to develop reporting systems and regular meetings to discuss concerns and trends and ensure greater accountability. We are also emphasising that we expect them to see their role as primarily preventative, in partnership with CPNW and SAPS, such that most interventions take place in public spaces rather than merely in response to incidents that have already happened. To this end we are now ensuring that both companies monitor both our overview and LPR cameras and provide reports in response to any suspicious activities that are recorded.

For prevention to succeed it is vital that everyone living in our area understands how crucial it is to report all incidents and even the smallest item of concern.

Buzzer App

In an emergency we encourage the use of the Buzzer app as a highly efficient way of contacting the widest possible range of responders and automatically transmitting your geo-location. For more information on this app and how to use it, please visit our website and click on the Buzzer tab. Another really efficient way of raising the alarm is by radio, but of course these need to be charged and in working order. The channel for radio checks and emergencies is Channel 8.

Patrol Vehicle Numbers

When you notice something potentially suspicious in the area, perhaps your most effective step is to alert the patrol vehicle for the company you subscribe to.

The vehicle contact number for ADT is 078 456 9398 and for Deep Blue it is 076 269 6224. If you are concerned about any follow-up, please contact their control rooms: ADT 082 161 6300 and Deep Blue 061 498 7814. You could also put this on your Connector WhatsApp group or even the Radio Users Group.

When reporting incidents, please do so as soon as possible! We also strongly encourage that you report incidents to SAPS, not only so that their stats reflect the true crime prevalence to motivate for more resources, but also because SAPS have provided some great support in recent months, with cases being resolved and goods returned.

A critical reason to alert CPNW quickly about incidents and specify as narrow a time frame as possible is the use of our cameras. With the increasing road and foot traffic in the area, particularly in daytime, it becomes more difficult to scan long periods of footage, especially without clear information of what to look for!  The cameras also have limited storage space, so older footage gets overwritten and lost.

So key elements to think about when reporting include the date, time frame, precise location, description of the perpetrators and/or vehicles, and the clothing the suspects were wearing, particularly shoes and pants (which are less easy to change).

We will be developing a form to make reporting easier, but would be grateful if anyone who has been the victim of a crime in our area makes us aware of it! To report an incident please email it to: crime@cpnw.org.za or report it on our website!

Camera Project

We continue to roll out cameras, with a further three overview cameras set up in the past month, and one of the Avondrust LPR Cameras replaced.

We are extremely grateful to everyone who has come forward to host cameras, and optimistic that improved camera coverage and greater monitoring by security companies will have an impact on our current crime surge.

But we all need to play our part, so please everyone, secure those outbuildings, use perimeter alarms after dark, keep your eyes peeled in the parking lots, and report anyone who seems suspicious – we need to make sure this neighbourhood remains ours!!

The CPNW Committee

CPNW NEWSLETTER – JANUARY 2024

Date posted: January 29, 2024

Dear Neighbours,

Holiday Burglaries – and Arrests

Unfortunately, it seems that what we were celebrating as a remarkably quiet holiday period crime-wise has turned out to be nothing of the sort. We have since become aware of a series of burglaries discovered as people returned from their holidays.

This included the theft of bicycles from buildings on properties in Oak Avenue – where alcohol and clothes were also stolen – and Ntombeni Way, and a housebreak-in on Willoughby Drive.

Fortunately, the perpetrators, a 14-year-old male and an accomplice whom we believe is 18, were apprehended after attempting to re-enter the Willoughby Drive property on a second occasion using keys they had stolen. The perpetrators were identified with stolen goods on several cameras and most of the missing items have been recovered.

These incidents had typical features of holiday season break-ins: an alarm failure due to a flat battery, a property completely unprotected, and out-buildings left open in more than one instance. Although we are pleased to again report successful arrests and the return of goods, this is a sober reminder to us all to think carefully about security before going away on holiday.

Crime Sprees Nearby

Even more concerning is a rather persistent crime spree taking place in the Dassenberg and Crofter’s Valley areas, with incidents almost every night since the start of the year. These have primarily involved thefts of items such as gas bottles, borehole pumps, gates and fencing material, but also break-ins to houses and cars.

This area has struggled over the years to establish a functional neighbourhood watch association, with many properties poorly secured and few subscribed to security providers. We are delighted that a new initiative is under way to re-establish the DASCRO NW and we have been supporting where we can. According to the committed souls who are putting in considerable effort, their membership remains below 20% of residents. This is reminiscent of the first years of CPNW, with similar levels of crime.

Locating and reaching the silent resident majority in an area is no easy feat, especially when properties are large and post boxes are rare! So, we need everyone to actively promote the idea of community in our broader neighbourhood through personal conversations, social media and any other possible means. Enlarging our circle will make us all that much safer!

Remain Vigilant!

As this crime wave is likely to spread to our area, we urge everyone to remain particularly vigilant and to report any suspicious activity to the armed response company control rooms and your local connector groups.

Update – Armed Robbery in Hout Bay

In news that broke between the first and final drafts of this newsletter, we were made aware, through CPF structures, of an armed robbery at a property in Hout Bay.

The description was typical of a kind of robbery commonly referred to as a “Home Invasion”, and more particularly one that involves at least four men, all armed and well-coordinated, who rapidly storm premises in the late evenings, taking advantage of open doors, alarm systems that are not yet activated, or people arriving home, with larger properties being targeted, particularly on the verges of the mountain or other areas that offer concealed access. The residents are generally quickly rounded up, tied up and made to turn over valuables, open safes etc.

Unfortunately, there is a limit to which one can protect oneself from this kind of determined and highly sophisticated crime, and still enjoy living where we do.

It is, of course, wise to invest in perimeter monitoring and protection, and to install systems that do allow one to keep doors open, or lock up earlier than one would normally, but there is a limit to what we can afford or are prepared to tolerate in terms of personal restriction.

What we can all do with relative ease, is up our awareness levels, ensure we do have panic buttons available and that we all, including children and guests, know where they are, check the radio, or get one, and teach everyone how to use it. We can also strengthen communication with neighbours and put more cameras in our streets and covering access points.

This kind of home invasion is not a new phenomenon, and we are not aware of any sudden increase in the prevalence of this type of crime. We are also hopeful that we are steadily developing some form of deterrence to this kind of crime. From past experience however, we know that once a gang becomes active, they tend to strike repeatedly, and it is wise to take extra care.

Putting Bins out on the Correct Day = Less Crime

We are happy to see that our Thursday evenings have remained quiet, with remarkably clean bin-free streets despite the recent howling winds!

We share everyone’s frustration at the recent disruptions in waste collection services and appreciate the extra effort shown by all to minimise the time our bins spend on the street. It has really paid off in crime prevention!

FIRES

As is plainly obvious, we are now in the thick of the fire season, and the evidence that some recent fires may have been the result of arson puts us in a vulnerable situation, particularly after a long and wet winter that has fed plant growth and increased fuel loads, with large areas that have not burned for many years. It is thus critical that we are all vigilant and prepared for fires.

Please report any fire immediately

The most useful number is Firewatch: 086 110 6417 – Please keep this on your phone!

Other numbers are City Fire Reporting: 107 or 021 480 7700

Fire Brigade: 021 590 1900.

Please make sure your property is not unnecessarily vulnerable.

• Make sure any hydrants on your street are accessible, clearly identifiable and show no evidence of leakage.
• Clear any bushes or branches in close contact with your house.
• Empty gutters of dry leaves and check that doorways and garage doors have no leaves beneath them.
• Store piles of wood or dry plant material several metres away from buildings.
• Minimise the undergrowth and dry material under larger trees.
• Ensure everyone in your family has a basic understanding of fire awareness and what to do in the event of a fire.

If you see a fire in the area

• Make sure it has been reported.
• Decide whether it is safe to stay; if not, leave.
• Make sure all household members are accounted for.
• Have a basic emergency evacuation plan, ensuring you keep everyone accounted for, have valuables and emergency items identified and collected in advance.
• Stay in touch with CPNW via their radio network or your connector group.
• Seal gaps under doors and windows with wet towels.
• Set out containers of water or sand to extinguish small fires that may result from falling embers.
• Where possible, try to keep roofs and gardens wet, and roof gutters blocked off and filled with water.
• Follow the instructions of emergency response personnel.
• As evacuation orders are generally transmitted via a range of channels including radio, social media and onsite emergency personnel, stay in touch with neighbours and keep checking social media channels.

Cameras

We are happy to report the addition of another two cameras in Willoughby Drive, and we thank everyone who has come forward to offer hosting and support! We are especially grateful to Louis Theron for donating 16 cameras and a recorder to our systems.

NCC

The Community Centre seems to be going from strength to strength, and as a substantial proportion of the income from bookings goes towards its restoration and maintenance, it is looking more beautiful all the time! We are especially grateful to everyone who has made donations to the centre, most recently Lynne Brown, who has donated seven historical pictures of old Noordhoek.

Summer-time…!

It has been lovely to see Noordhoek so busy again this summer after the quiet years of Covid, and local businesses seem to be thriving. We hope that everyone will make our many visitors feel welcome, warn them of potential crime hazards, invite them to use the Buzzer App, and encourage them to park considerately, keep our beautiful beach and neighbourhood clean, and drive sober – we seem to have had our first bumper-bashing and traffic jam!

Wishing everyone a safe start to 2024!!

The CPNW Committee