NW reducing crime in St Francis Bay

Visitors and locals alike may not know that St Francis is under the threat of regular home invasions, sometimes with even the threat of, or actual, violence being  committed. St Francis is also a target of opportunistic crime whether from your home, accommodation establishment, or from parked cars.

Neighbourhood Watch works in close collaboration with the Police and security companies. The Station Commissioner of St Francis Bay Police has made a request to all Greater St Francis residents and visitors to be aware and take the necessary precaution of protecting their own property. There have been several cases where negligence on the part of a visitor or property owner has encouraged theft. The main items targeted are cell phones, laptops, cameras, jewellery, and money. The following tips should assist in this regard:

• Don’t leave valuable and expensive items visible in your car as they attract potential criminals.
• Lock your vehicle at all times, even when entering a shop for a quick purchase.
• Mark your possessions with some form of identification.
• Lock your vehicle in the garage overnight or park it in the back yard and lock the gates.
• If your car is not in a garage, park in a well-lit area if possible.
• Keep your vehicle particulars such as registration, engine number and chassis number on file, but not in your vehicle. It assists the police in the speedy recovery of your vehicle if it is stolen.
• Lock all doors and windows when leaving premises and don’t leave laptops etc visible or near windows.
• Take all possible security precautions and set the alarm system when leaving the house.
• Be alert.

 In recent months a new Neighbourhood Watch has been established in St Francis and needs more volunteers to do patrols at night in addition to the police and security firms of Smhart and Calibre. The new Neighbour Watch patrols have made a significant dent on the number of break-ins but at the moment there are not enough patrols and more volunteers are needed. One patrol of two hours a week is requested, two people per patrol. Volunteers are requested to phone Barry Wild on 082-3679947. Assistance is also requested with the cost of equipment such as strobe lights, decals and other equipment. Barry handles this also.

Volunteers manning the Neighbourhood Watch stand outside Spar.

Article & photograch – Yvonne Bosman