Security is something Beagle Watch takes extremely serious, said security officer Qhubani Ngcangolo while patrolling the N1 Western Bypass bridge that runs over 9th Avenue in Fairlands.
This area has reportedly become subject to smash-and-grabs and handbag snatching, so the company had to come up with a plan to stop these incidents from happening regularly.
Ngcangolo revealed that a plan was hatched to patrol the area early in the mornings and later in the evenings.
Operations manager Jakes Shakung said, “A couple of smash-and-grabs took place at the bridge two months ago and we decided to make it one of our priority sites. We patrol the area in the mornings from 6am to 8am and in the afternoons from 3pm to 8.30pm”.
He said they apprehended two suspects while one got away after he had been shot in the leg.
“After those incidents the level of crime has lowered a bit in the area as these smash-and-grab criminals are now operating on 14th Avenue,” Shakung shared.
Ngcangolo said, “We deploy two guards on 9th Avenue and the other two on top of the bridge because the criminals park their vehicles on the bridge and rob pedestrians in 9th Avenue, then they run up to the bridge and jump into their getaway car.”
This, he said, helps them monitor the bridge and the officers immediately radio-in when a suspicious vehicle stops on the bridge.
According to Shakung, this operation has been successful because of the strict regiment that the company forces its officers to follow. “We have a daily parade every morning from 5.30am and every officer has to attend. The purpose of these parades are to give guards feedback on what happened the previous day.We raise complaints and positive feedback received by clients with the security officers.”
Shakung added that the guards also receive tips on what to do in certain situations.
“The criminals always try to stay a step ahead of us so we have to be proactive and think out of the box. One of the first things that a guard does when he arrives at a scene is report any strange activity to the control room. The guards are also taught how to defend themselves and ensure that they are not placed in danger.”
Shakung thanked the public for their ongoing support and frequent tip-offs in problematic areas.
