Date posted: July 20, 2023
Dear Neighbours,Armed Robberies
Since our last newsletter, disturbingly, armed robberies have continued along Main Rd, particularly on the wetlands side between Katzenellenbogen Rd and the Lakes, despite a strong community response to incidents and efforts to clear the undergrowth that aids concealment. SAPS and local authorities were made aware of the incidents, but SAPS are hampered in responding as, sadly, no cases were opened over an extended period. It seems that many of the victims are foreign nationals who for various reasons are reluctant to report. Most perpetrators have been described as young men or teenagers armed with firearms.
Arrests
We have also had a report of an upsurge in gun violence in Masiphumelele and two armed robberies of pedestrians from a vehicle, one in Kommetjie and the other in Fish Hoek. Fortunately, both latter incidents were caught on camera, leading to arrests in both cases. In even better news, on Friday 14 July, two relatively young males were arrested after an armed robbery in Capri of a similar nature to the ones reported along the Main Rd. However, it is important that we all remain vigilant and continue efforts to make vulnerable areas along the road less so and provide what support we can to those who are exposed to these robberies.
We continue to liaise with SAPS and Law Enforcement, as well as private security companies, to lobby for better monitoring of our area. We are pleased to note some positive work from a re-energised and collaborative SAPS that promises better use of the range of technologies available to individuals and community organisations, such as ever-expanding camera networks and the new Buzzer App initiative that is steadily making progress. Some security companies in the Fish Hoek precinct, though sadly not all, are also adopting more technology. We are thus trying to ensure that all parties working in the security sector understand that not only do they have a collective responsibility to the communities they work in, but that working collaboratively to monitor public spaces is a far more proactive and cost-effective way to maintain security than simply responding to alarms.
Incidents
We have received reports of two incident in our area since the last newsletter. The first involved the theft of a bicycle from a property on Avondrust Circle sometime between 23 and 30 June.
The second took place in the beach parking area on Saturday 15 July, when keys and a phone were taken from a locked car. Use of a jamming device is suspected as there was no evidence of a break-in, and the car was locked when the victims returned. Fortunately, they were able to track the phone for a short while until it was turned off, which allowed us to correlate the time and movement with vehicle activity and thus identify the thief’s vehicle using the Licence Plate Registration system. It appears that this is the first time this vehicle has been in the area. The incident was reported to SAPS, and we will be alerted if the licence plate enters our area again, as will other LPR users. This again underlines the importance of reporting crimes, as this tracking can only be done legally if related to a crime incident that has been reported to SAPS.
Preach to the Unconverted!
A big challenge CPNW faces, like other local organisations, is that our communications mostly preach to the converted, as those who receive them are already signed up and committed! Sadly, the neighbours who seem oblivious to the idea of neighbourhood are inevitably the ones we struggle to reach.
For this reason, we ask every person who reads this newsletter to speak out locally, particularly to those in your own street whenever possible, about the benefits to all of a strong community spirit.
It is mind-boggling that there are still whole streets in the area without connector groups, and that so many are still without armed response and make no contribution to security measures in the area.
For our wonderful little part of the world to remain as special and safe as it has become, we must keep developing the community culture in Noordhoek. Living in our community also means actively developing it!
Wishing everyone a warm and safe month!
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