Local police have urged prospective university and college students to be vigilant and cautious at all times.
As students return to areas such as Brixton, Auckland Park and Melville to continue or launch their academic studies, police are warning them to be careful of becoming victims of crime.
Station Commander Colonel Mkhacani Maluleke said, “Brixton Police Station wants to take this opportunity to welcome all the new students into our community and wish them all of the best with their studies. Unfortunately, we also need to warn students that they are easy targets to criminals but to ensure them that the police will do everything possible to keep them safe.”
Colonel Maluleke said this station and other police stations in surrounding areas have a good relationship with the universities and their campus security services. These relationships are key to ensuring that students are well informed about and protected from different crimes that might affect them. “Students are the future of our country and they need to focus on their studies and that the police and all other role players will work together to ensure a safe environment for them.”
Students have been asked to do their part in avoiding becoming crime victims. Maluleke said, “Students are also requested to play their role in keeping their laptops, cell phones, tablets and other items safe as most of the cases reported last year for theft was due to negligence.”
He added that they discovered that students are also reporting crimes that never happened, which is also a crime and warned they could be arrested for perjury.
Maluleke has also warned criminals within the Brixton police’s precinct saying crime will not be tolerated and that they will find and arrest all those implicated in criminal activity.
