Date posted: January 1, 2016
Dear NeighboursFestive Greetings!
Thank you to everyone who came to our AGM! The turnout was excellent and our sense was that it was a useful meeting and additionally served as a pleasant get together and opportunity to get to know more of our neighbours. The minutes will be posted shortly on the website, together with the slideshow, for those who were unable to be there.
Regretfully, since trumpeting our successes in keeping crime at very low levels for a second year in succession, we have been hit by a rather concerning surge in incidents, involving night time intruders, primarily from the beach, metal theft and daytime thefts.
In terms of night-time intrusions, these have taken place in Ratelklip Close and Willow Road, where houses were broken into and items were stolen, as well as at building sites in Disa Road and Protea Road where building equipment was taken. Additionally there were repeated attempts in Willow Road, as well as one in Lindum Close. These have mostly been characterised by the same modus operandi and with the help of an expert tracker who lives in our area we were able to follow the tracks right down the beach to the Dunes. Members of the CPRT also responded to one of the incidents with a quad bike to search the beach but without success. We do have a response planned should there be any further such incidents so please be sure to alert ADT and the radio network in the event of any night-time intruders.
Significant thefts of metal items (which probably required a vehicle to remove them) took place in Beach Road and Avondrustvlei Farm.
On 19 November during the day there was a break-in at Monkey valley, and 13 December a young man with a backpack was seen mingling with guests at a Bonsai Display before a cell phone was stolen and the same individual had been seen earlier at Avondrustvlei Farm before items disappeared there as well.
Details of all these incidents can be found on the website.
On a happier note we are pleased to announce that our Firewise subcommittee has been very active in improving our preparedness for future fires. They have managed to get important equipment donated and we will be looking at the purchase of a mobile pump in the near future. A number of residents also attended training sessions with Enviro Wildfire Services. We are also in the process of developing emergency response plans for fires and various other disasters, although this has turned out to be a rather slow process because of the need to consult extensively with various authorities to be sure that our plans are legal and fit with what the various services need from us. A key issue raised by the subcommittee has been the state of fire hydrants in the area. A number are faulty and need servicing, which is the responsibility of the City Water Services Department and we have been in contact with them and will monitor this until it is done, but as alarming has been the discovery that some residents have seen fit to garden, or even pave over hydrants! We trust this was done in ignorance or by the previous resident and that current residents will display good citizenship by undoing the damage!! We are sure that, after this year’s fire, there cannot be anyone in our area who would take such a matter lightly.
Although the last two weeks have been much quieter, we would ask everyone to stay vigilant during the holiday period as the high flow of traffic does make it easier for intruders to move around and given the recent pattern we can expect further attempts.
On behalf CPNW we would like to thank everyone involved in making this such a wonderful neighbourhood and to wish you all a great 2016!
The CPNW Committee
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