Date posted: April 25, 2024
Dear NeighboursIncidents
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.
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