Members of Pretoria Central SA Police Service (SAPS) have been conducting an anti-crime awareness campaign, engaging community members and businesses in the city’s central business district (CBD).
Spokesperson for SAPS Pretoria Central, Constable Thabang Nkhumise said over the past weeks, new criminal patterns have been taking place in the inner city and surrounding areas.
“A walk about was conducted consisting of social crime prevention, communication officers with support of the newly appointed wardens, from Paul Kruger Square until the Sammy Marks Square,” said Nkhumise.
“Various pamphlets were distributed to the masses, vendors and local businesses touching on a number of criminal patterns such as rising number of bogus salespersons, bogus prophets, common robberies, theft, shoplifting and other related crime,” he said.
“The other pressing issue was concerning theft out of motor vehicle, theft from motor vehicles and other related crimes.”
While conducting the awareness walk-about, the police officers and the crime prevention wardens took time to engage with several car guards, urging them to support law enforcement as informers.
The car guards were encouraged to participate as whistleblowers when criminal acts take place.
The newly launched Gauteng crime-fighting wardens, also known as “AmaPanyaza”, was in May welcomed by the provincial legislature’s portfolio committee on community safety.
The unit was launched by Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi and Community Safety MEC Faith Mazibuko.
Meanwhile, newly-appointed station commander of the Pretoria Central SAPS, Colonel Maboea said it us vital for the police to work hand in hand with community members including the car guards across the city centre to combat rampant crime.
The police are also seeking to maintain a record of the people working on the various streets.
Maboea also encouraged residents in the Pretoria CBD to be more cautious of their surroundings and try to protect themselves and not fall victims to the runaway crime.
IOL