Police have urged residents of Gordon’s Bay and Strand to be more alert, in light of a recent increase in burglaries, Cape {town} Etc reports.
While authorities were not able to confirm recent the surge in incidents in Gordon’s Bay, homeowners believed that their communities are ‘being plagued by break-ins’.
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Homeowners have taken to social media to ‘sound the alarm’ on break-ins and burglaries around Gordon’s Bay central, Fairview Estate, Mountainside and Gordon’s Bay Village.
A Gordon’s Bay police spokesperson stated that, at this stage, only one incident can be confirmed.
This is regarding a break-in which occurred at a residence in Augusta Close, Fairview Estate. The case is currently being investigated.
‘House-break-ins, like all other crime, is always a concern for us,’ said the spokesperson.
Warrant Officer Nico Beukes, Strand police spokesperson, did confirm to DistriksPos via News24 that burglaries were increasingly in the neighbouring communities of Strand.
Geraldine van Wyk, a victim of one such burglary, recalled being traumatised by knowing that someone had ‘broken into her home while she was asleep’, on Tuesday, 17 September.
Van Wyk (59) said that the suspected thief broke into her Broadlands Park home and fled the scene with her jewellery that was worth an estimated R2 500. The alleged perpetrator (21) was soon apprehended and charged with ‘house break-in and theft’.
He is expected to appear in the Somerset West Magistrates’ Court again on Monday, 21 October.
‘I am so traumatised by the experience,’ said Van Wyk.
‘Every time I look at my jewellery box, I start crying uncontrollably at the thought of being so brazenly violated for personal possessions,’ Van Wyk added.
In response to these incidents, Strand police have initiated several operations to combat and prevent the increase in burglaries.
One of these operations occurred on Friday, 27 September, when Afriforum Strand worked alongside security companies to patrol the railway line along the Main Road in Strand, from the N2 bridge to Strand Railway Station.
These security companies included Vetus Schola, Fidelity ADT, AM Security, Gordon’s Bay Security (GB Sec) and Securite Security.
Edwina Hadfield, chairperson of the Gordon’s Bay Community Policing Forum (CPF), has also urged the community to ‘take the necessary precautions’ to prevent falling victim to burglaries.
‘Residents should ensure that their sliding doors have dead locks on,’ said Hadfield.
‘They should not leave doors open and residents with garage doors must check that they are close properly before driving away,’ Hadfield added.
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