Police powerless as cemetery crimes continue

BRIXTON – Plans in place to rid cemetery of vagrants, criminals and their disrespectful ways.

Brixton Police Station's spokesperson Jeanette Backhoff has warned the public to be extra-careful whenever they are in or around Brixton Cemetery. Photo: Andile Dlodlo

Brixton Cemetery is turning it into a crime haven. This is according to Brixton Police, who are experiencing growing challenges from the cemetery, as vagrancy, vandalism and non-compliance of various laws increases.

Various bank and access cards can be found when walking through the Brixton Cemetery. Police say its proof that criminals are using the cemetery to hide out and looking through what they have stolen. Photo: Andile Dlodlo

According to the station spokesperson, Jeanette Backhoff, “The situation at the cemetery is only getting worse. People visiting the cemetery and walking through it as a shortcut have been robbed of their belongings. There are vagrants living there who sleep, cook, do drugs, sort rubbish and relieve themselves in the graves.” She added that it is also a known hiding spot for criminals after they have broken into nearby homes and cars.

Brixton Police question a group of men found casually sitting on top of a graves tombstone after finding a claypick known to be used in break-ins near them. Photo: Andile Dlodlo

Backhoff stated that police regularly patrol through the cemetery, but unfortunately the problems have only gotten worse over the past few months. “Every time we come here we confiscate bedding and tell the people we find living here that they aren’t allowed to, but we return a week later and they are back. There are at least two shelters nearby that could accommodate them, but they choose to live in the cemetery.”

Needles such as these are found by Brixton Police during every one of their patrols of the Brixton Cemetery which suggests there is drug usage taking place in it. Photo: Andile Dlodlo

Those living in Brixton Cemetery have now started using tombstones and graves as foundations to their illegally erected living structures. Photo: Andile Dlodlo

According to Backhoff, the rules and regulations of the shelters are known to make them unattractive to those committing crimes and using drugs. During their patrols, police have found knives and other weapons which they suggested were used to rob people of their wallets and bags, judging by the number of banks and access cards found scattered throughout the cemetery. Illegal living structures are now also being built by vagrants and they have been using the graves and tombstones as supporting structures to their shelters.

The tombstones of Brixton Cemetery are constantly being vandalized by those living and disrespecting the final resting place of people’s parents, grandparents and children. Photo: Andile Dlodlo

Backhoff stated that their ability to resolve the issues are limited as they do not have the legal authority to force people out of the cemetery. With the situation worsening and crime levels around the area on the rise, police are currently putting together a plan to address the situation. Backhoff explained, “We are in contact with City Parks, Metro Police and the City to host an operation to rid the cemetery of the shacks and move the people living there to better places. Once that’s done we can move towards cleaning and securing it for the future.”

Brixton Police question a 27-year-old woman who they found living in one of the illegal shacks erected at the Brixton Cemetery. Photo: Andile Dlodlo

This is a developing story and an update will be made once it has become available.

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