KENSINGTON B –The KenBrink Residents Association (KRA) has shown that with community support, they were able to tackle crime head-on last year.
The residents association monitored their own crime statistics for their area, releasing them at the end of last month.
Chairperson of the KRA Andrew Shaw said, “From a high of 66 incidents in December 2017, we have reduced the crime rate down to just two incidents reported thus far in January 2019.”
Faced with a crisis situation at the end of 2017, the residents banded together to form a neighbourhood watch to tackle the rampant crime in the small community of about 800 households.
“We were having two incidents a day. Every day you were just waiting for what the next incident would be,” said Simon Beevers, chairman of the Neighbourhood Watch.
Shaw said, “With the assistance of Randburg Saps Station Commander Brigadier Michelle Jones and Captain Hein van Heerden, the KRA rolled out a successful Neighbourhood Watch programme that maintained almost 24/7 patrols across the suburb last year.
“This immediately showed its benefit when three house robbers were arrested by Randburg Saps after they were spotted and reported to Saps by the Neighbourhood Watch.”
The Neighbourhood Watch team quickly set about identifying vehicles and individuals who were involved in drug dealing and other criminal activities.
Shaw continued, “With the assistance of the Ward 104 councillor Mike Wood and MMC Michael Sun, the Metro police drug squad implemented surveillance operations based on this information. Randburg Saps implemented stop and searches of suspicious vehicles, with raids on known problem properties.”
The KRA also focused on prostitution in the area and met with landlords whose properties have allegedly been used for prostitution and other criminal activities.
“Most landlords have been shocked to find out that their property is being used for criminal activities… In general, they have been very cooperative,” added Shaw.
“The Randburg Community Policing Forum and the KRA have been actively monitoring the problem properties. As a result, there has been a big improvement in the area.”
In March last year, the KRA issued a request for proposals for a dedicated security provider. In June last year, the association appointed Community Support Services as the dedicated security provider, both patrolling the suburb and providing armed response services in the suburb.
The Neighbourhood Watch began a handover process, where working together with Community Support Services they patrolled together and shared information.
“Community Support Services have been very professional and the statistics speak for themselves,” said Lorna Martens, the KRA representative at the Randburg Saps Community Policing Forum.
The vice chairman of the Neighbourhood Watch Nkuli Shoba said, “Teamwork makes the dream work. We have got the three security companies in the area, namely Fidelity ADT, Proforce and Community Support Services all working together along with Beagle Watch in the Daniel Brink portion of the suburb.”
“Residents are very vigilant. They watch what is going on and report suspicious behaviour. The security companies and Saps have been very responsive,” said Gareth Mitchel, a KRA security committee member.
Shaw added, “The result is that the suburb has seen an 80 per cent drop in crime in the area. In December, the area had three burglaries and two attempts and January they have had only one burglary and one attempt. A huge difference from the 103 incidents in December 2017 and January 2018.”
Willie Strydom, who is heading the KRA camera initiative said, “The KRA is planning to roll out additional dedicated patrol vehicles with a new camera system once we have sufficient subscribers.
“The KRA is looking to work with local businesses along Braam Fischer Drive and the businesses in the Kensington B area so that they can also benefit from the initiatives that are being implemented.”
The KenBrink area covers Kensington B, Bryanbrink Park and Daniel Brink Park.
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