TAKING BACK THE CITY
23 February 2016
Heather Djunga
heather.djunga@tametimes.co.za In a bid to show the importance of community co-operation and awareness in crime prevention, officials of the Bedfordview Community Policing Forum (BCPF) highlighted the increase in follow-home crimes in the area in recent months at Saturday’s monthly BCPF meeting. BCPF spokesperson Tyrone Clark said follow-home crimes had increased in the area over the past month, with six follow-homes from a popular Van Buuren Road centre having been reported to the Bedfordview police. Bedfordview residents’ action group (RAG) chairman Colin McKenzie said: “We have questioned the residents who have been followed home and have examined video footage of stores they were shopping in before the crime. In many of these instances, the suspect is seen hanging around the victim for at least 30 minutes before actually following them home. For example, in one video re-
An online buzz about a massive fire in Bedfordview caught my attention on Wednesday morning last week - mostly because the fire in question was said to be raging through one of my favourite coffee spots. The fire in question was in Skeen Boulevard, Bedfordview, a socialising landmark in the area. I imagined fighting my way through fire engines and police vehicles to get a photo of the flames for what sounded like a breaking front-page news story, according to the online fire it had generated. Maybe I could use a collage of photos showing officials bravely fighting the flames and the headline “Bedfordview on fire,” or something to that effect. Ward 20 councillor Jill Humphreys was in a meeting at the time I contacted her, but diligently responded to my messages stating she was not able to take my calls and that she also awaiting news on the fire. Shortly afterwards, she contacted me saying the fire in question had been an electrical fire in a beauty salon in Skeen Boulevard which had been quickly contained by the relevant officials. This is not to minimise the terrible ordeal the salon staff must have gone through on the day, as to them the fire was in all likelihood a consuming entity as no doubt
cording, the suspect was walking in ‘donuts’ around the vicinity in which the victim was shopping and the victim didn’t notice anything suspicious.” He said often the criminals came to the stores and took shopping baskets, walking around observing shoppers without actually purchasing anything. “Many times they are well-dressed and sometimes they even order lunch from restaurants and coffee shops in the centre and observe people’s behaviour and, for example, whether they are wearing any valuables, such as jewellery and watches. Please, the community needs to co-operate – don’t wear jewellery that will make you the target of a criminal and keep a constant awareness of what is happening around you.” Bedfordview policing officials said they had asked car guards at the Van Buuren Road centre to assist them by, for example, not allowing drivers to hang around in their cars in the parking area; and, also, to direct cars
straight to parking bays when they arrived. Ward 20 councillor Jill Humphreys highlighted at the meeting that it was important not to ‘demonise’ any centres in the area. “Please, these centres are beautiful which is why we choose to shop there. Crime can happen anywhere.” “It’s about staying aware and making this proactive stance against crime as routine as brushing your teeth,” said McKenzie. “Know, for example, when you pass a certain landmark as you drive towards your home, that you must now put your phone down and become more aware, watching the road behind you, and the pavement and gate area with caution.” The often-used sentiment of standing together in the fight against crime was also scrutinised with refreshed vision at the recent meeting. Residents at the meeting raised some interesting points of discussion, among these a call for greater publicity of the BCPF, which included notifying all Bedfordview residents
of the monthly meeting, which routinely publicised important policing matters. “We shouldn’t be seeing the same faces here every week,” said a resident, who identified himself as a businessman to meeting attendants. Gavin Henry, chairperson of the BCPF, said the meeting was currently announced on WhatsApp and Facebook groups and agreed to co-operate with any initiative to get local shopping centres involved in displaying a BCPF notice board and posters advertising upcoming meetings. It was suggested at the meeting that a poll be placed online, on the BCPF website and Basically Bedfordview Facebook page, whereby residents could identify the time which best suited them for the meeting. Henry emphasised BCPF was an initiative to bridge the gap between the community and police and invited all residents to contact the BCPF on info@bcpf.co.za and have their names put on the mailing list.
Bedfordview cops STRENGTHEN Elandsfontein ties it has affected many lives – but the fire that raged online was panic- and fear-driven and the flames grew larger and larger on Facebook, with the increasingly panicked comments. Such a story of an online fires is not unusual. On page 3, we have a story about a minor (under the age of 18) who has been left traumatised after the vengeful friend of one of her exes posted naked and vulnerable photos of her on social media platforms frequented by her friends and family. You wouldn’t think you were playing with fire sending highly personal photos of yourself to someone you are in an intimate relationship with, whom you trust. But in this case, an online fire raged which eventually pushed the girl in question to seek assistance from the Edenvale police. On the same page, we have any interesting article challenging employees of companies to think before they tweet or post on Facebook. The Word of God says how our tongue is like a flame of fire and to use our words carefully; as, like the rudder of a ship, the utterances of our tongues determine our destinations in life. If the laptops and cellphones we use are the instruments of our communication, surely the same applies to these? They say it only takes a spark to get a fire going. A 'spark' put out there can create a fire with ramifications beyond your control. In the same way, one word that is spoken at the right time, that is true and uplifting, can also start a fire, but one that brings light into other people’s lives and circumstances.
PROACTIVE: Bedfordview police management recently held an imbizo in the Elandsfontein community. Bedfordview police management recently held an imbizo in Elandsfontein in a bid to create stronger ties in the community. Warrant Officer Mduduzi Nhlabathi, Bedfordview spokesman, said this was part of an effort to create stronger relationships with the community. Elandsfontein falls within Sector 3 of the Bedfordview policing precinct.
Edenvale police MAKE ARREST Edenvale police recently arrested three suspects after finding them in possession of criminal implements and JMPD uniforms. Sergeant Sharon Tsotsotso, communications officer on call for the Tembisa Cluster, said police were patrolling in Barbara Road when they noticed a suspicious-looking silver Toyota Corolla in the parking area of a popular fast food chain. “When they approached the vehicle, the suspects tried to run away but the officials managed to apprehend them,” she said. “When they searched the vehicle they found a firearm, the JMPD uniform, a tracker jammer, break-in implements and ammunition.” The men, from Soweto and Tembisa and between 29 and 39, were detained at the Edenvale Police Station.
RECOVERED: A JMPD uniform was among the items recovered when Edenvale police recently arrested three suspects for being in possession of numerous criminal implements.
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EDITOR:
Heather Djunga: heather.djunga@tametimes.co.za
SUB-EDITOR:
Linda Yates linda.yates@tametimes.co.za
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