Robberies, assaults and smash and grabs are among the most common crimes in the Table View area, say police.
This emerged at a meeting Table View SAPS held with the community last week. It was the second “SAPS Imbizo” since the country went into lockdown in March last year.
The police divide Table View into three sectors: Sector 1 includes Bloubergstrand, Big Bay, Blouberg Sands, Bloubergrant, West Beach, Blouberg Rise and Waves Edge. Sector 2 is Parklands and Sunningdale. Sector 3 is Table View, Sunridge, West Riding, Flamingo Vlei, Doornbach (Site 5) as well as Potsdam.
Table View police station’s Lieutenant Colonel Hennie Nel told residents that robberies and assaults were frequent in Sector 3, especially on Potsdam Road.
“Assaults seem to be high in Potsdam, Site 5 and also in Sector 2 (Parklands Main Road). In terms of robberies, the biggest contributors are in Parklands Main Road and Potsdam Road. Our priority area is in Potsdam, Site 5 and Zwezwe (Zwelistsha informal settlement). The biggest contributor of robberies there is the smash and grabs. There is slow-moving traffic during peak times in that area,” he said.
Lieutenant Colonel Nel spoke on behalf of station commander Colonel Lindiwe Dyantyi who could not be at the meeting.
Ward 113 councillor Dr Joy Solomon urged residents to “stash it, don’t flash it” and make sure they did not leave any valuables in the car and in plain in view.
Lieutenant Colonel Nel said burglaries were a problem especially near Crassula Road and the clubs and pubs in Sector 1 as well as in Parklands Main Road.
SAPS had seen an overall decrease in contact crimes between July 1 and September 30, he said. Contact crimes are crimes against a person and include an element of violence.
In the past three months, there have been 140 arrests: 53 for possession of stolen goods, 51 for assault, 15 cases for robbery, 10 for housebreaking, six for theft out of motor vehicles and five for possession of burglary implements.
David Harris, chairman of the Table View Community Police Forum, said they were seeking donations of water, cold drinks and snacks for the 104 police officers who would be deployed at polling stations in the area.
“We would like to deliver to them on the day because they will be there full time for about nine hours and they can’t leave their posts,” said Mr Harris.
Residents can drop off items at the Table View Neighbourhood Watch control room, which is next to Parklands SAPS, on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 10am to 10pm.
Mr Harris said the sub-council had been asked to put up warning signs along Potsdam Road and Malibongwe Drive where smash and grabs were particularly bad.
Dr Solomon said that the proposal was under consideration but sub-council would only reconvene in January.
