Woodmead’s positive relationship with Sandton police

Sandton police have taken strides to increase visibility in the Woodmead community, even proposing hosting a holiday season mobile satellite police station in the area.

Sandton police and other community stakeholders gathered at the Woodmead Value Mart centre on September 6 to maintain an established security presence for shoppers’ safety. The exercise emerged due to proactivity from local business operators such as Mugg & Bean manager Nico Nyathi, who arranged the day’s safety drive.

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Nyathi said Woodmead had not been spared lately from crimes such as shoplifting, car jamming, pickpocketing, and cellphone theft.

“We’ve got a challenge of so much crime in this area here. It’s happening right here at this centre; you can’t just leave your items lying around,” Nyathi lamented. “The police come here twice, maybe three times a day.

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“So, I spoke to the police to organise something here to make the community aware that we, as all the businesses here, are in partnership with the police. There’s that relationship where if ever there is a problem, then it’s easy for us to call the cops to come and sort it out for us.”

Sandton police member Warrant Officer Trevor Rama said he had been engaging with the centre’s management over the feasibility of a mobile satellite police station ahead of the December holidays and the sales season.

“We know that this is one of the places where people shop the most, especially over Black Friday,” said Rama. “We know that it’s going to be busy and there will be theft out of motor vehicles and theft of cellphones.”

Rama reiterated the need for more proactive police visibility in the area and hosting community engagement opportunities such as this one.

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