Contact crimes refer to offenses perpetrated person-on-person, such as robbery, assault, rape and murder.
Property-related offenses are crimes directed at property, such as burglary, general theft, theft out of motor vehicles, house robbery and hijacking, explain police.
“We as the Duduza police urge our community to be safety and security minded, to remain alert and be vigilant in informing the police of criminals and their activities.
“There’s an increase in burglaries occurring randomly around the area and in recent times we have noticed that perpetrators are so bold as to break into houses while the residents are at home and in bed.
“This boldness indicates that the perpetrator may go to extreme lengths to fulfil his desire to acquire the property he seeks, hence we urge the community not to confront them but rather call the police for assistance,” says Duduza police spokesman, W/O Imtiaz Yakub Rasool.
He adds that residents’ homes are also targeted while their houses are vacant.
“In as much, we can say that thus far we have been lucky that no one was attacked during these burglaries. Property targeted generally is electrical kitchen appliances, home entertainment systems, televisions, cellular communication devices, laptops, computers and other small items that are of value and easy to carry.
“House robberies are also increasing where perpetrators target households and victims either in the early hours of the morning or when they are returning home from work, and during these incidents property targeted is generally cash, cellular phones, laptops, televisions and home entertainment systems, and if the car is available, the cars are taken,” he adds.
Some safety tips for locals shared by the police include:
- Ask people you know and trust to keep an eye on your home.
- Observe and report any and all suspicious persons, vehicles and activities to the police.
- Be observant when returning home and if you suspect something out of the ordinary, pass it and go to the police station to get help.
- Not fighting your attacker but complying can save your life and prevent unnecessary violence.
“We urge our community to take the necessary precautions so as to ensure their safety and the safety of those around them.
“We also encourage our residents not to take the law into their own hands as this will most definitely result in charges being laid against them for breaking the law.
“Help us to fight crime by being our eyes and ears and remember we are here to protect and serve, and to succeed, we need your assistance as we cannot be everywhere all the time,” says Rasool.
