Crime rate growth, slow improvements for Pretoria’s east stations

The latest crime stats paint a bleak picture of the rising crime in Pretoria east.

Police stations in the east of Pretoria have seen a decline in crime in different categories, however, more work needs to be done at Brooklyn police station.

Police minister Senzo Mchunu released the first quarter crime statistics for 2024/25 on Friday, August 30.

The statistics include data from all 1 163 stations across the country over the past five years for the period of April to June this year.

While some stations, deemed troubled, such as Boschkop, showed a glimmer of hope with a slight decrease in crime, hotspots such as Brooklyn continue to be troubled.

Brooklyn police station in consecutive periods remains in the top 30 stations plagued by serious crime nationally underscoring the dire need for more hands on deck to deal with crime.

The statistics also revealed crime trends in the Tshwane district, including a 23.4% rise in kidnapping cases, with 401 cases reported across Tshwane in the three months.

Brooklyn police station has had shocking kidnapping cases with seven counts more than the previous quarter.

The station has recorded 11 active cases of kidnapping.

This station is ranked number four nationally among police stations plagued by 17 community-reported serious crimes.

Common robbery has been a serious issue for the station servicing areas including the student-populated Hatfield area where cellphone snatching is prominent.

The station has recorded a 4.3% increase in contact crime.

Sexual offences have increased by seven counts and rape by eight counts with 19 cases recorded.

Commercial crime has drastically increased in Brooklyn by a whopping 40%.

However, the station has seen a 13.5% decrease in cases related to driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

Boschkop police station

The Boschkop policing precinct in the far east of Pretoria, which services areas such as Boschkop, Mooiplaats and Tierpoort, also registered increases in attempted murder, common assault, sexual offences and robbery with aggravating circumstances.

The station recorded a 91% increase in common assault, however, there has seen a drop by five counts this quarter in common robbery and two counts in murders compared to four between April and June 2023.

The station has seen a massive 13-count drop in burglary in non-residential and three counts fewer in burglary in residential areas.

Shoplifting, kidnapping, drug-related crime and theft of motor vehicles or motorcycles have dropped.

However, robberies at residential premises have increased by six counts and stock theft by three counts.

Garsfontein policing precinct.

Garsfontein station used to be one of the most troubled Tshwane policing precincts but has a mixed bag of statistics.

Theft out of motor vehicles continues to plague the station as it has recorded a 57.1% increase.

The station has also recorded a 12.9% increase in theft of motorcycles.

The station has seen a 29.3% increase in commercial crimes while shoplifting increased by 8.5%.

Kidnapping has increased by three counts and drug-related crimes decreased by seven counts.

Community-reported serious crimes have increased by 17.3%.

Robberies at residential premises have dropped by three counts compared to the previous quarter, while robberies at non-residential have also dropped by three counts.

Only a single murder case has been reported, while attempted murder has dropped by six counts.

Silverton

The policing precinct servicing Meyerspark, Val-de-Grace, Brummeria, Willow Park and Waltloo registered increases in common assaults, carjacking, and robberies at residential and non-residential premises.

Contact sexual offences decreased by two counts.

Robbery with aggravating circumstances grew by 1.6% and rape decreased by six counts.

The station has recorded the most kidnapping cases with 10 active cases.

Burglaries at residential premises have increased by 20.3%, while theft of motor vehicles or motorcycles has decreased by nine counts.

Drugs-related crimes have dropped by 24 counts.

Theft out or from motor vehicles has dropped by 29.4%.

Rape dropped by six counts, while sexual assault grew by four cases.

Bronkhorspruit station in the far east of Pretoria is one of the most improved stations.

Contact-related crimes (arson and malicious property damage), trio crimes (bank robbery, robbery of cash in transit and truck hijacking), and aggravated robbery also dropped.

Sexual assaults have dropped.

Crime detected by police patrols including drug-related crime, driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs and possession of illegal firearms have seen a massive drop of 96.4%.

Burglaries at residential premises have increased by 5.5% while non-residential burglaries decreased by one count with 44 cases compared to 45 in the last quarter.

Motor vehicle theft grew by two while stock theft grew by seven counts compared to the previous quarter.

Boschkop CPF and Lakes Security Forum chairman Jean Jonker said multiple stakeholder collaborations have yielded results in the Boschkop policing precinct.

“Excellent collaboration with the police, CPF, Lakes Security Forum and our regular crime prevention operations have seen law-breakers in the area and surrounding sent to jail.”

Cash-in-transit crimes have been driven down through police operations or interventions in the east of Pretoria.

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