ARA install cameras to fight crime
"We’ve got eyes on our area 24/7. This is important to us because theft in our area has decreased because of the measures we have taken but we still have break-ins.”
An increase in break-ins and smash and grabs in Northmead led to the installation of a set of off-site monitoring cameras by the Avenues Residents’ Association (ARA) in Fourth Avenue.
The new line detection cameras, sponsored by security company Supercops, were unveiled on July 7.
It’s the second set of cameras after the first ones were installed on the corner of Fifth Avenue and Seventh Street.
“It’s for the safety of our residents,” said ARA chairperson Marinda Beukes. “We’ve had a murder, lots of smash and grabs and break-ins at night where expensive equipment was stolen.
“We’ve got Supercops that has sponsored us with off-site monitoring. This means we’ve got eyes on our area 24/7. This is important to us because theft in our area has decreased because of the measures we have taken but we still have break-ins.”
Beukes said they hope the cameras will assist with stopping criminal activity, which they suspect is part of an organised crime.
“The camera will work for 24 hours a day, even when there’s load-shedding thanks to a resident who has back-up power.
“The criminals have got a couple of escape routes. One of them is jumping off the wall into the highway. We hope to scare them and make them think twice about coming into our area,” she said.
According to John Kleber from Supercops, the cameras will detect any movement in the area and if anything suspicious is seen, they would act swiftly.
“It’s new line technology. Artificially, we’ve lines drawn all over here. So if anybody or anything moves into those lines, we get a notification in our control room.
“Once we see the movement, we can then start following to see what’s happening. When we detect suspicious movement, we’ll dispatch a car to find out what’s happening,” he said.
Kleber said suspicious behaviour that would prompt action includes roaming around the streets at night and looking over into people’s yards.
Avenues resident Christa Cronjè said she was encouraged by the steps the ARA and Supercops have taken to fight crime.
“It’s an awesome feeling, especially with the fallen wall on Third Avenue, which has led to break-ins. We all want to be safe in our country. Unfortunately, the powers that be can’t protect us. If a community stands together and with a security company standing with us, we can make Benoni a safer place,” said Cronjè.
Easy escape route for criminals
Beukes said the fallen wall offered the criminals an easy escape route, adding that the ARA is working on having it rebuilt and installing off-site monitoring cameras.
“That wall is our main priority because of the Benoni Child Welfare. Unfortunately, there’s no electricity or Wi-Fi on the corner where we want to place the cameras.
“It’s the easiest and quick escape route for them. We need a camera and to rebuild the wall for the safety of our residents and the children at the welfare.”
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