BRAZEN burglars have apparently been targeting homes in Richard Gordon Drive, with reports of at least five break-ins in the past weeks, one of which was in broad daylight.
Homeowner Chris Els received more than he bargained for upon his return from Johannesburg after the Easter weekend.
“We arrived home on Sunday evening at about 9.30pm,’ he said. ‘I found my security gate had been kicked in and my TV and DVD player, as well as a camera, stolen.’
According to Els dogs in the neighbourhood bark incessantly during the nights.
‘I have lived in this house for 15 years,’ he said. ‘Only in recent months has there been any problems.’
Furthermore, vacant homes in the same and adjacent streets have fallen victim to opportunistic burglars, who stripped the copper piping and light fittings in two homes.
‘It is time to take back our neighbourhood,’ he concluded.
Drug thugs
According to reports on social media there have been at least five other break-ins in the same area where television sets, laptops, phones and other electronic appliances were taken. Speculation is rife that the robberies are drug related, as the culprits seem to be fearless.
Empangeni Community Police Sub-Forum Chairperson Zilindile Masango issued a statement, calling for residents to report all incidents to the police.
‘The main concern is whether those break-ins are real or are just concerns reported as cases,’ read the statement. ‘If then those cases are real, are they reported to SAPS so that resources equal to the task are allocated?’
In this regard the Empangeni CPF is calling on the community to attend a meeting to be held at the Empangeni Council Chambers on Tuesday) at 5.30pm.
Attacks on foreign nationals, a round-up of police cases as reported to the SAPS throughout the month, the role social media plays in fighting crime as well as the addition of new executive members will be the topics up for discussion.
‘It is imperative that we deal with crime in a controlled and coordinated way,’ the statement continued. ‘That can be achieved if we share ideas through structures such as CPF.’
