The Parkhurst Residents and Business Owners Association held a public meeting to discuss the new SafeParks safety initiative and the fibre optics roll out.
Vumatel, the company endorsed for the fibre optics installation, presented an update on the progress of the project and the setting up of neighbourhood security cameras.
“We do the physical infrastructure of the fibre optics on an open access basis” said representative Giorgio Iovino.
Vumatel had also invited representatives from a variety of internet service providers to the meeting.
Lazio Barnett, sales consultant for Vox Telecom made himself available to answer questions from community members who were interested in choosing an internet service provider for their fibre optic connection.
He had arrived in Parkhurst and parked on 13th Street at about 6pm. It wasn’t until 9.05pm that he got a call from his insurance company enquiring on his whereabouts as their system indicated the tracker in his car had been tampered with.
“They asked me to verify where I was, because the car was travelling at excessive speeds somewhere north of Johannesburg, and that’s when I found out that it was stolen”, he said.
Barnett, who is based in Pretoria, got a lift home with a colleague after he reported the theft at Parkview Police Station.
“In the meeting, they were discussing CCTV cameras that have number plate recognition to improve security in the neighbourhood. It’s ironic that my car was stolen while this was happening.”
The 2010 silver hatchback Polo Vivo has not yet been located, but it is widely known that the make of the car is a popular choice for theft.
Parkview station commander Colonel Nanda Moodley was invited to the meeting, but was unable to attend. He delegated to a captain who too, unfortunately was not present, as he was admitted to hospital earlier that day.
It is pure speculation whether the presence of a representative police officer in the community meeting would have deterred or prevented the theft.
Colonel Moodley notes that Polos are especially targeted, because they are easy to break into.
