Police conduct investigations after Edenglen High learners were robbed

Recent reports of some learners who walked home from school in Edenvale being robbed saw the highlighting of their safety and security.

Recently, the learners from Edenglen High School were targeted, with the suspects taking their valuables, such as electronics.

In light of this, the Klopperpark CPF raised the alarm and organised a meeting between stakeholders at the school on August 26.

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The meeting saw Edenvale SAPS and Mamba Security meet with Edenglen High School’s deputy principal, the school’s head of discipline, the social worker and counsellors to try and understand the problem and formulate a solution.

According to the school, the perpetrators prey on the good natures of the learners.

Often, a suspect asked learners to help them before stealing their valuables.

It is unknown if the attackers had dangerous weapons. Most of the incidents occurred in the Eastleigh area.

Additionally, the school reported multiple instances of motorists stopping near female learners and making inappropriate comments to them.

As of September 26, school social workers and counsellors said no learners were physically hurt in the encounters, but they were emotionally traumatised.

The head of the school’s discipline, Jennifer Naka, said although the learners had good intentions of wanting to help, they must not speak to strangers.

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Based on the information he received at the meeting, the Edenvale SAPS’ head of Visible Policing, Lieutenant-Colonel Lionel Chetty, described the suspects as professional.

He said the suspects could be past learners who had insight into the routes the learners took home.

“What the SAPS will first do is observe the tendencies of the perpetrators, how they operate, and formulate a plan from there.”

Chetty said this would entail engaging with the victims of these crimes

He said police visibility would increase in the identified area and on the most common routes learners used when walking home.

Mamba Security will help with this issue, but Chetty urged learners to be vigilant always.

He said if they were involved in any robbery or harassment, they should try to remember as many details about the suspect as possible.

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The details to remember include the make, model, colour and licence plate of the car or clothes a person was wearing, their shoes, if they had scars or tattoos and their hair colour.

Although reports highlighted Edenglen High School learners, deputy-principal Desi Naidoo believed all learners in Edenvale were vulnerable.

Naidoo did not believe criminals targeting learners was unique to the school.

Echoing Chetty’s call for vigilance, Naidoo advised learners to walk in large groups or use alternative routes.

Naidoo urged learners not to walk with earphones in their ears, which would allow them to hear their surroundings.

Similarly, Chetty advised learners in a public space to keep their valuables out of sight so they are less of a target.
Chetty thanked the school for drawing attention to its concerns.

He said the school would soon receive feedback, a report and a solution based on the findings.