FBW tackles crime in Florida
Increased crime levels were at the top of the agenda at the recent Florida Block Watch meeting.
The Florida Block Watch’s (FBW) monthly community meeting was, as usual, a lively affair with police, security companies, local businesses and a new community-led organisation all making presentations to residents.
Unfortunately, the news wasn’t all good as it was revealed that crime in the Florida area has escalated sharply.
Security companies present all reported that they’ve been seeing higher levels of crime over the past three weeks. These include business robberies, gate motor thefts, and kidnappings, with children being grabbed on their way to or from school.
There has also been an increase in street robberies with children involved on their way to and from school.
Help24 and EC Security added that there has been an increase in joggers getting robbed, and said criminals have now even resorted to following e-hailing drivers, and robbing people as they exit these vehicles.
FBW chairperson John Kirsten added that August 20 was a dark day for Florida, with two house robberies, and one attempted house robbery occurring within just a few hours.
“In two of these cases, the domestic workers were persuaded to open the gate for the perpetrators,” he says. “The perps drive very smart vehicles and they seem, at first glance, to be legit,” he adds.
“At one house, the domestic worker almost drowned as she jumped in the swimming pool in an attempt to get away from the robbers.”
Residents were asked to provide their domestic workers with panic buttons and to give them strict instructions to not let anyone they don’t know enter the premises.
One of the suggestions made was that domestic worker training sessions be arranged, to teach them how to deal with emergencies should they arise.
As always residents were treated to delicious coffee and snacks, and a raffle was held, where one lucky resident won a prize.
Kirsten added a special thanks to the Florida police for their much-improved service of late.
Colonel Amos Tsotsetsi affirmed the increase in crime and urged residents to be vigilant, and to report crime.
A new community-driven organisation, Vulnerable Citizens Support Initiative (VCSI), represented at the meeting by Corinda Loots and Mahmood Cassim, was introduced to residents.
The VCSI is part of the Civilian Crime Intelligence Network (CCIN) and operates country-wide.
