Broken streetlights give criminals an advantage
He said numerous requests have been made to the city to repair the streetlights. He urged residents to be proactive.
Vaughn Jones, chairperson of Sector 5 CPF that covers Dinwiddie, Albemarle, Castleview, and union DIN-AL-VIEW said they are concerned about the increase in crime.
“There has been an increase, especially over the last month or so. Our major concern is that the majority of the crimes are at night and in areas where streetlights are not working,” explained Jones.
He said the lack of working streetlights makes it easier for criminals to commit crimes. GCN requested feedback from the City of Ekurhuleni in early March regarding streetlights not working. The city then stated that streetlights “are constantly damaged by the community through vandalism, illegal connections and cable theft. The city finds it difficult to keep up with the high demand to continuously fix the same streetlights”.
Jones requested residents to install security lights in and around their property and have security lights shining onto the pavement and even the streets. He said numerous requests have been made to the city to repair the streetlights. He urged residents to be proactive.
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“A security gate does not deter a determined criminal who wants to get access to your property. We urge residents to beef up their current security,” said Jones. “Residents need to invest in layers of security and must be aware when an intruder is on their property before the criminals are inside their home.”
He advised residents to consider a safe room. “A strong security gate separating the lounge area from bedrooms is simple yet sufficient,” said Jones. Residents are urged to be vigilant between 5.30pm and 10pm and keep all security gates, back and front doors locked.
“We encourage residents to report anything that might look out of place. We work closely with security companies and SAPS. If you have information or concerns about something, share the information.”
For more information on the CPF, call Hannelie on 063 218 5815.
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