It is evident that residents are fed-up with the local police, who show no interest in apprehending criminals committing crime in the area.
This, despite a number of criminals known to be involved in petty crime in the area, seen freely walking the streets. Residents say that they do not even bother reporting petty crime to the police, because the police show no interest in apprehending the thieves.
In one of the latest incidents of what is described as petty crime, reported to the Laudium Sun, a thief believed to be a local nyaope who is frequently seen in the Laudium CBD, was seen on CCTV camera, stealing a dustbin from a business premises at the corner of Jet and Sapphire Street, Laudium. The theft which took place the previous Saturday night at the ‘Grill and Garage’ restaurant has left the owner puzzled as to why a thief would bother to make an effort to steal a dustbin. The CCTV footage clearly shows the lone thief jumping over the front gate of the business at around 11pm, stealing the dustbin by managing to get it over the fence, then disappearing into the night.
Owner of ‘Grill and Garage’ on Jet Street, Nafees Abbasi, told the Laudium Sun, “We closed the restaurant a bit early as it is the month of Ramadaan. When we came to work the next morning, we found that the dustbin had been stolen. We always keep the dustbin inside the yard of the shop and in the morning, we found that the dustbin was gone and nowhere to be found. We checked here and there but the dustbin was not anywhere. So we then checked the CCTV footage and it clearly showed the moment when a seemingly desperate thief entered the property, after jumping over the front gate. He went straight into the yard where the dustbin was kept, quickly took the dustbin and then left the same way by jumping back over the fence. The theft occurred at night when there were no workers or people around the restaurant area, as the restaurant had already closed.
“While some people may say that it was only a dustbin that was stolen, my concern is that the thief had no issue to jump over our gate and then make all the effort to get the bin over the fence. What is stopping him from breaking into our shop the next time? The crime situation is really bad for us as business people, as we work very hard to earn an honest living so that we can support our families. Running a small business is not easy and we work long hours to make sure that the restaurant operates properly and serves the community well. When incidents like this happen, it becomes very discouraging because even small items like dustbins are being stolen. This shows how serious the crime situation has become in our area.
“Business owners are already dealing with many challenges such as high running costs, rent and maintaining their businesses and crime only makes things more difficult. There must be frequent visible patrols by the police and the CPF, so that businesses and residents can feel safe in the area. Increased police visibility, especially at night, is important as it can help prevent this type of crime, where a thief freely and openly walks on the street late at night pushing a dustbin, without being stopped by the police.”
Mahdi Shaha of Jet Street, told the Laudium Sun, “The increasing crime in the area is seriously affecting businesses in Laudium and also making residents feel unsafe in their own homes. Many people who work and operate businesses in this area are worried about the growing number of criminal activities taking place around us. Business owners try their best to keep their shops running and provide services to the community, but crime continues to create fear and uncertainty.
“The situation is becoming more worrying because criminals appear to be taking advantage of the lack of police presence in the area. There is an urgent need for visible and frequent police patrols, especially during the evening and late-night hours when many of these crimes take place. At the same time, the local CPF Patrollers must remain vigilant and active in monitoring the neighbourhood so that suspicious activities can be identified early.
“Laudium has always been known to be a place where people support one another as a community and work together to maintain peace and stability, but it seems that this unity is not there anymore. The rise in criminal incidents is putting pressure on businesses and forcing some of them to shut down because they can no longer cope with the risks and losses caused by crime. This is a serious concern for the future of the area and for the many families who depend on these businesses for their livelihoods and needs.
“A strong appeal is made to the local community to remain united and stand together against crime. Co-operation among residents, business owners and community organisations can make a significant difference in keeping the area safe. Criminals and criminal activities will have no place in this community, if we, as residents, stand united as a community and ensure that Laudium remains a safe place in which to live and work.”