AN alarming rise in robberies in Empangeni has left residents living in fear.
Within three days, one Empangeni family was robbed twice along with a spate of other brazen attacks on residents in the suburb.
Business Against Crime (BAC) Manager, Dave Whittaker, who also runs the Empangeni Reporting Criminal Activity Facebook page has been inundated with posts on suspicious activities and attempted house break-ins.
‘There is a gang operating in streets such as Wildebees, Apollo, Farewell, President Swart and others. Their modus operandi seems to be smashing windows or banging down doors,’
‘It is normally a group of three but it has increased to seven since last Tuesday. These men are very aggressive, armed and they steal wallets, TVs, phones and laptops,’ he said.
LifeLine Zululand Director Sue Stephenson said such events are highly traumatic and the effects are dreadful.
‘Your personal space is invaded and you lose the feeling of security in your own home. It is a scary experience,’ she said.
‘We encourage victims of trauma to go for debriefing because later on any incident remotely traumatic can reignite previous trauma. Everyone reacts differently to such experiences and it is important to understand that each person deals with it in his or her own way,’ said Stephenson.
Whittaker said the SAPS and the K9 Unit are working tirelessly to curb the increase of house robberies and there has been visible policing and increased patrols.
‘These gangs do their homework and they are fast, violent and hard to pin down.
‘We urge communities to come together. At one point, Gemini Road and Sigma Crescent had a high rate of house robberies and the community enforced a ‘Neighbourhood Watch’ system. There has since been a decrease in crime,’ said Community Policing Forum member and SAPS Captain Bonginkosi Dludla.
‘Police vehicles have tracking devices and every morning we check the records to ensure that the patrols have been done and the correct routes have been followed,’ said Empangeni SAPS Spokesperson Captain Mbongeni Mdlalose.
The BAC and SAPS urge residents to form Neighbourhood Watch groups and are willing to advise and guide people on how to form the organisation.
‘As a precaution, ensure that your house is secured as far as possible, set the alarm, if there are intruders lock yourself in the bedroom and do not fight back. Alert the police of any suspicious activity,’ said Whittaker.
Contact 10111 or the direct line for the Empangeni SAPS on 035 9075803/6.
