Crime spike alarms Mvoti Neighbourhood Watch
The latest incident occurred on Saturday where thieves stole several cell phones, a watch valued at R50 000 and several items of clothing
IN the past two months, there has been an upsurge in crime in the Mvoti Neighbourhood Watch area. Of concern is the broken fencing around the Redhill Cemetery which is being used as an escape route for criminals and fence hoppers targeting the area. Another area of concern has been the increase in break-ins and trespassing in the Haig, Station Ridge and Belvedere roads.
The neighbourhood watch has, through their own initiative and money put up razor wire fencing around the collapsed walls at the cemetery to prevent thieves from using them.
According to chairman, Grant Cockburn, the most recent incident on Haleric Road highlighted the problem faced by the watch.
On Sunday, thieves stole several cell phones, a watch valued at R50 000 and several items of clothing. CCTV footage showed the suspects using overgrown trees to jump over the razor wire bordering the cemetery fence.
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Cockburn said the watch had been engaging with the City to cut back several trees that were overgrown but to no avail.
“The fence hoppers and criminals in the recent crime spike have been targeting homes with property, looking for unlocked doors or open windows. What we’ve done to combat the upsurge is to replace more than 400 metres of razor wire (every 50 metres cost the watch R1 000) and patch up sections of fencing within our patrol area with razor wire. Despite our successes, it is an ongoing battle with the criminals,” he said.
The watch has set up a crime alert WhatsApp group, a chat group and a Marshall Security alert group to get the residents to be the eyes and ears and keep a lookout for any suspicious activity,” he said.
In other crime news: Armed suspects ransack Durban North home
He added the watch was also helping secure the fenceline around the newly opened Action in Autism School on Haig Road.
If you would like to be added to the crime alert group contact 083 386 8339.
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