Crime Stats

[BTTB]

As a SAPS member I am appalled that you don't at least report it. As a citizen I completely understand - and agree, private security is more efficient for this.

A little off topic. Last night I was on duty, and 90% of the calls we had were car accidents and the rest was burglaries. All the burglaries (mostly businesses - they're targeting shops in mini malls lately ) we went to, the security companies were already on the scene and doing their thing (which technnically is supposed to be our thing).

Hi Jonty

You are correct of course.

To be honest I was away at the time and the best I could do was tell my wife to contact ADT who we employ. It was actually the best move as the ADT Supervisor of the area visited personally to analyse the situation and made sure his staff made the extra patrols etc.

If I was home I would have made a report.
As a member of the CPF I should of.
However by the time I returned home the trail was no doubt cold.

I did at the last CPF Meeting state to the Station Commander that not only my property, but several others were targeted in July and August in our area and I said although things have been quiet for a while this has certainly been a rude awakening to crime for us and I could hear the people in the hall murmur in agreement as I stated the obvious.

The Police in our area were in a really pathetic state up until a couple of years ago.
Things have changed and we now have Sector Policing and we actually see Police Vans patrolling our streets which is a welcome sight.
The Policemen and Woman are working hard to become a team with the community. I was even tempted to take up the offer for Police Reserve work in the new Sector "D", which means you would be area bound to your specific area. The Station Commander claims to have several spare vans at the Reservists Disposal.
Time will tell on that one?

Otherwise I am positive.
Just the surge in Robberies is a huge problem. These Robberies are being coordinated from people outside our area and probably outside town completely? These forces must be stopped!
I think with The Cape being a relatively smaller place than the PWV area and surrounded by mountains and sea the crooks may have a harder time in achieving success. I know that if the Police in our area are called out they will act quickly and decisively as The Crooks need to pass through their areas for their own escape route.

 

[Turtle]

A little off topic. Last night I was on duty, and 90% of the calls we had were car accidents and the rest was burglaries.

This is one thing that annoys me about SAns ... on Fri/Sat nights when crime is worst, we also then keep the police busy by doing stupid unnecessary things like driving drunk and/or speeding and wrapping our cars around poles. If you want to do something to help the crime problem, drive properly and don't drink and drive (make arrangements like taxi or sleepover) - free up police/tax resources for fighting real crime. I know we always like to blame others here but we're virtually all guilty of this.

 

[BTTB]

This is one thing that annoys me about SAns ... on Fri/Sat nights when crime is worst, we also then keep the police busy by doing stupid unnecessary things like driving drunk and/or speeding and wrapping our cars around poles. If you want to do something to help the crime problem, drive properly and don't drink and drive (make arrangements like taxi or sleepover) - free up police/tax resources for fighting real crime. I know we always like to blame others here but we're virtually all guilty of this.

Here in Cape Town the Traffic Police Unit have been thrown in with what they now call The Metro Police?
This includes Law Enforcement, Traffic and The City Police.
The problem here is we as the public cannot identify the difference.
Plus from what one Traffic Officer told me the guys are demoralised as now a Traffic Officer might be shunted in with the Law Enforcement guys to check for stray dogs or dumping and vice versa the Law Enforcement guys may need to stop a car for a moving violation for which neither has jurisdiction.

My point here is that The Traffic Police should be dealing with these problems.
But from what I have been told I don't even think they work after hours any more or perhaps it is one Vehicle doing a whole Metropolitan Area of a 40Km diameter.

There appears to be quite a few problems with The Metro Police(Traffic Police, City Police and Law Enforcement) and lets not even mention that the Cars are marked incorrectly for their function.
Also part of the inheritance of the previous Mayor Imperfecto from what I can gather?
The more they try and fix things the more they break them.
Whether this is deliberate or part of a wider strategy I cannot say?
All that I can say is that The Public are the losers as when we need Service we do not even know who to call anymore?
The Officials themselves from the last time I spoke to them, are also confused.

Funnily enough. Out of all of this, The Police (SAPS) are now being looked up at by their peers in the Metropolitan Police, as they have the neater uniforms and newer cars etc. I was watching a Traffic Policeman and looking at his gestures when he
pointed out to me the new Police Vehicles and badging. So lets see.
Time may see a few better changes. I certainly hope so.

The Public should find out where the CPF Meetings (Community Police Forum) are being held in their areas and become part of the solution and not part of the problem.

 

[jontyB]

@BTTB: I'm in Jozi and I'm not sure about the metro/saps/law enforcement relationships there.

Over here we have so many car accidents over a weekend as well as so many drunk drivers that it takes up most of the Metro AND SA police's time. Most of our calls are car accidents or incidents at watering holes or stolen/hijacked cars. Robbery has picked up quite a lot too.

 

[jontyB]

This is one thing that annoys me about SAns ... on Fri/Sat nights when crime is worst, we also then keep the police busy by doing stupid unnecessary things like driving drunk and/or speeding and wrapping our cars around poles. If you want to do something to help the crime problem, drive properly and don't drink and drive (make arrangements like taxi or sleepover) - free up police/tax resources for fighting real crime. I know we always like to blame others here but we're virtually all guilty of this.

There was a gruesome one 2 weeks back on a wednesday at ~ 01:15 on the N1 North near Rivonia. Hijackers speeding away in a mercedes clipped one car (which rolled into and over the barrier) and then collided with another and smashed into the meridian barrier. 3 other vehicle were also involved. Kept us busy for quite some time.

 

[Syndyre]

.
Also most crimes IMO are committed in winter, especially burglaries when the air is cold and the public are sleeping. Normally those nights when it is cold and a bit windy as the two combined almost screen the burglars as they try to gain access to a target property.
.

Seems to be true, when my friends car got broken into the other day the cop actually told me this, especially rainy nights apparently, less people around too I guess.

 

[jontyB]

Seems to be true, when my friends car got broken into the other day the cop actually told me this, especially rainy nights apparently, less people around too I guess.

Hijackings are most prevalent too, especialy when people get home and open their gates manually - they are less alert on what's going on around them.

 

[Syndyre]

Tell me one thing... if someone is breaking in/stealing , who do you call ? .. I call ADT or the Community presinct I subscribe to. I dont think its EVER reported to the police. I think the police get involved only when someone is caught - NOT on incident.

So... the police stats are as usefull as Anti-Burn matches

True, I also call ADT or the other armed response company I subscribe to, depending on where I am at the time. To be realistic most people report stuff to the police when they need a case number for insurance. Its just that I know I'm going to get a better response from the armed response company, and usually if they need to bring in the police they do.

 

[Syndyre]

Hijackings are most prevalent too, especialy when people get home and open their gates manually - they are less alert on what's going on around them.

Luckily hijacking's don't seem to be a big issue where I am (PE/Grahamstown), at this stage anyway. But I am glad I have automatic gates anyway!

 

[BTTB]

@BTTB: I'm in Jozi and I'm not sure about the metro/saps/law enforcement relationships there.

Over here we have so many car accidents over a weekend as well as so many drunk drivers that it takes up most of the Metro AND SA police's time. Most of our calls are car accidents or incidents at watering holes or stolen/hijacked cars. Robbery has picked up quite a lot too.

According to the Police Station Commander, Robbery and the 3 versions of Robbery in our area has increased by a staggering 43%!

 

[RichardP]

True, I also call ADT or the other armed response company I subscribe to, depending on where I am at the time. To be realistic most people report stuff to the police when they need a case number for insurance. Its just that I know I'm going to get a better response from the armed response company, and usually if they need to bring in the police they do.

To bring a bit of perspective to the Police scene, maybe someone on the police force can answer -
Why are alot of the police stations in South Africa protected by Security companies?


I take my hat off to all the officers on the beat doing good work protecting us....

 

[Vox Populi Vox Dei]

The police statistics must be doctored. I was reading my local paper and it had a breakdown of the robberies etc. However one statistic didn't really add-up.

Hi-Jackings:

Claremont: 31
Nyanga: 196.

I mean come on...31 in Claremont?! What rubbish! I only have to read a community newspaper to see that it is far more than 31. And 196 in Nyanga? Do hi-jackers hi-jack each other?

 

[jontyB]

To bring a bit of perspective to the Police scene, maybe someone on the police force can answer -
Why are alot of the police stations in South Africa protected by Security companies?


I take my hat off to all the officers on the beat doing good work protecting us....

The reasons are plenty. In most csaes, a police station is manned by admin personnel only. Often reservists that do not want to work the beat so to speak just help out in the police station. The second, and often more pertinent reason is that the monitoring equipment used belongs to the security company, and they are particularly adept at monitoring. Another reason is that police stations are often targeted when the majority of the police are actually out doing their job. Security copanies have more personnel.

 

[jontyB]

The police statistics must be doctored. I was reading my local paper and it had a breakdown of the robberies etc. However one statistic didn't really add-up.

Hi-Jackings:

Claremont: 31
Nyanga: 196.

I mean come on...31 in Claremont?! What rubbish! I only have to read a community newspaper to see that it is far more than 31. And 196 in Nyanga? Do hi-jackers hi-jack each other?

The most hijackings are of minibus taxis.