FOLLOWING series of violent house robberies in the area crime has dropped significantly in the past few weeks.
Police and private crime prevention organisations’ biggest concern at the moment is business break-ins, said Robin Candy, the Greenwood Park Community Policing Forum’s chairman. “There has been a slight increase of business break-ins in the area, but no major crimes have been reported,” he said.
Criminals have been targeting the Glen Anil industrial area as well as businesses along the N2 Freeway.
Haden Searles, of the Durban North uMhlanga CPF, echoed Candy’s report saying, “We have witnessed a massive reduction in the house robberies that have become a regular occurrence, but there has been a few business break-ins, where they mostly target computers,” said Searles.
Authorities have been confounded and unnerved by the lack of serious crimes in both the uMgeni and Durban North areas. According to Searles they were expecting a flood of crime reports with the recent rainy weather. “Criminals use the rain to mask their activities. As it masks any noise and people are generally reluctant to come out, so it significantly reduces the chance of encountering witnesses,” he explained.
Blue Security responded to four business break ins in Glen Anil, since Sunday, 12 October, as well as one in Durban North and uMgeni Park. while they responded to only two armed robberies, one in Park Hill as well as Effingham Heights on Thursday, 16 October. According to Blue Security’s Brian Jackson, trespassing and burglaries burglaries have increased since last year.
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