Linden police annual report gives hope to residents

Linden Police Station commander Lieutenant Colonel Shaid Abdool warned residents to be extra careful about fraud targeting elders, internet purchasing, and leaving the gates and doors open

Futhi Qoza, a resident, pays close attention to the CPF and Linden police reports. Photo: Mthulisi Lwazi Khuboni

According to Linden Police Station Commander Lieutenant Colonel Shaid Abdool, Linden is one the best performing stations in Gauteng in the contact crime category. It is number one in the Johannesburg district out of 42 stations to reduce the community reported offences by10.9%.

Abdool was briefing residents about the station’s performance at the annual general meeting (AGM) held at Robin Hills Primary School.

Linden CPF chairperson Annelise Tichauer addresses the community. Photo: Mthulisi Lwazi Khuboni

Contact crime is made up of murder, attempted murder, assault GBH, common assault, robbery aggravating, which includes house robberies, hijackings, business robberies and robberies with fire arms, common robberies and sexual assaults.

The station increased by 100% in murder from five in the last financial year to 10. Common assault increased by 11.3% from 141 to 157 with 65 arrest made. and worryingly, sexual assault increased by six from 40 last year to 46.

Abdool said that their education campaigns play a huge role in the fact that people are comfortable enough to come forward and report the rape cases.

Stephanus Titus and junior VisPol commander Eitan Klein at the Linden CPF annual general meeting. Photo: Mthulisi Lwazi Khuboni

“There are some of these cases that happened 20 years ago. Due to our campaigns, and the teams going out and educating the vulnerable about reporting the incidents destigmatising the crimes completely. Yes, we have an increase. I am prepared to take it on the chin because for me it means we are gaining the community’s confidence to come forward and report as many incidents go unreported.”

He applauded his teams and said that on the murder cases they were able to arrest 13 suspects.

On a lighter note, there is a massive decline in the total of contact crime from 828 to 683 with 264 suspects charged. Every station is measured with the 17 community-reported offences. Linden SAPS reduced it to 10.9% with 688 arrests made.

Heather and Trevor Edmunds at the Linden AGM. Photo: Mthulisi Lwazi Khuboni

“Overall we have reduced contact crime by 17.5% – that is accomplishment for Gauteng and in the Johannesburg districts we are one of the best performing stations in that category.”

The Linden police crime performance figures from April 1, 2022 to March 31, 2023 are audited, verified and released nationally.

The station also performed well on detected crime as a result of police action and robbery aggravating crimes.

Johannes Petrus Raath and junior detective-commander Duanae Lessingh at the Linden CPF’s AGM. Photo: Mthulisi Lwazi Khuboni

Before the meeting residents were given an opportunity to engage with police and security companies. Others were given feedback and updates on their outstanding cases.

Residents met the members of the Linden CPF, Community in Blue patrollers and Victim Support. The Linden junior commissioners got an opportunity to explain their roles to the community.