Residents and visitors to the southern suburbs of Cape Town can expect to see regular public policing patrols in the lead up to the December holidays.
So says a local neighbourhood watch, following a series of patrols and roadblocks across the area in recent weeks.
HarLyn Neighbourhood Watch joined the SAPS, Glosderry CID and ADT Security for patrols along Belvedere Road last Friday October 7, to deter crime and warn residents not to leave valuables in their parked cars.
The neighbourhood watch recently also worked together at three roadblocks and two street patrols across Kenilworth and Claremont, including a roadblock on Palmyra Road.
“This is going to happen more and more as we approach the Christmas season,” said Derek Bluck, chairman of the HarLyn Watch.
A total of 38 cars were stopped and searched during the roadblock on Palmyra Road on Wednesday September 28 and fines to the value of a R1 000 were issued.
A local business owner welcomed the presence of the police and neighbourhood watch in the area, calling it a “necessity”.
“I am glad to see this kind of visible policing in the area as it acts as a deterrent to criminals,” said Ricardo De Gouveia, store manager of Liquor City on Palmyra Road, following the roadblock there.
The recent roadblocks and street patrols also had the support of ADT Security, with security guards working side by side with watch members and police officers.
“Roadblocks and street patrols play a key supporting role to other law enforcement and crime prevention efforts,” said ADT district manager Jade Hanning.
There was already an extensive network of CCTV and licence plate recognition cameras across the southern suburbs, but there were many cars with false number plates, so physical searches were “very important”,she said.
Mr Bluck said: “We hope the patrols have shown the public that by working together, we can drive crime out of the southern suburbs. Our partners in the police and in private security companies are ready to assist us, but we need ordinary citizens to also do their part by not keeping quiet when they have any information about crime.”
