Police pushes to reduce high crime rate

Roodepoort police’s Colonel Clive de Freitas played open cards during a Roodepoort CPF broad forum meeting held at the Roodepoort Police Station on September 25, expressing concern over high crime rates in the precinct.

It was recently revealed that Roodepoort has the sixth-highest crime rate in the country and the second-highest in the province.

The meeting, attended by CPF sector chairpersons and managers, patrol commanders, and senior police members, was chaired by Roodepoort CPF chairperson Petrus Lehaiwa.

Lehaiwa spoke about each sector in turn, allowing the respective sector chairpersons time for their area reports, and taking time to discuss problems and crime trends in each area.

De Freitas admitted during the meeting that August was a tough month for the police.

“While some crimes are showing a downward trend, we have been hammered in terms of trio crimes [business robbery, residential robbery and hijacking], and our murder rate remains unacceptably high.”

De Freitas said that the main causes of the high murder rate in Roodepoort are illegal mining activities and house robberies.

“A new trend has emerged where people are being shot dead during house robberies. This is very concerning, especially since these robberies don’t usually yield big results for the robbers in terms of the value of the items stolen. This is happening more frequently in Matholesville, Sol Plaatjie and Leratong Village.

“We are working with entities to put measures like Apollo lights in place so police officers can more effectively patrol these areas.”

De Freitas also expressed concern over the murder rate associated with alcohol abuse.
“We are seeing unnecessary deaths where friends or family members get involved in alcohol-fuelled disagreements.” He added police are actively working to close down illegal liquor outlets throughout the precinct.

The colonel says that the successful arrests of high-profile hijacking and motor theft suspects in August are showing results since there is a marked decline in these crimes.

Theft of and out of motor vehicles as well as gate motor thefts remain a concern throughout the Roodepoort policing precinct and are being addressed.