Despite the ongoing crime in the Erasmia residential area, there seems to be no concerted effort by the local CPF, the police or the politicians to come up with a meaningful solution on how to tackle the problem.
This, despite weekly reports of crime in the area, especially house break-ins, whereby gangs of thieves seem to be freely entering the area and attacking homes as they see fit, be it during the day or at night. While the local police refuse to give weekly detailed crime stats, claiming it is on instructions of police at higher levels, residents have no clue of the actual crime happenings in the area, other than what is posted on social media platforms or read in the Laudium Sun.
This follows yet again residents complaining to the Laudium Sun about the rising crime in the area, so that other residents could be informed and be cautious. This time residents warned the community of a gang of four male thieves that have attempted to break into at least two homes in the area, but were fortunately spotted by the owners before they could continue with their misdemeanors.
The first incident occurred the previous Saturday evening, at a Van Den Heever Str, Erasmia home, while the other took place about an hour later the same night on the nearby Theron Street.
Sabeer Khan, owner of the Van Den Heever Street home, told the Laudium Sun, “I was alone at my house as my family had just gone out for a short while. It was nightfall at around 7:30pm, when I happened to spot four Black guys jumping over our front gate and entering our veranda area. Although I was I completely shocked and at the same time fearful of an imminent attack on me, I somehow managed to scream and shout loudly at them, as they neared the front door. Fortunately, as soon as this bunch of thieves heard my screams, they ran away from the yard, by jumping over the fence again. The experience was really traumatising and I never imagined that I would come almost face to face with a gang of thieves in my own yard. These thieves were approaching my door and at one point I thought they were going to forcefully open it and attack me. I felt completely unsafe in my own home. It seems that these thieves were timing houses in the area and happened to see my family members leaving the house, not realizing that I was still at home at the time. I shudder to think what could have happened if I did not spot the gang in time and scream as they were approaching my front door. I cannot thank the Almighty enough for saving me. Had I not seen them in time or if I had not reacted quickly, the situation could have been much worse. This illegal invasion of my property has left me feeling extremely shaken and concerned about the safety of my family and the safety of others living in the area. Erasmia is becoming more dangerous day by day, as nothing seems to be working at the moment, starting from the police, to the CPF, the politicians, the gating system to the private security patrollers who are supposed to protect residents. Despite having these systems in place, criminals are still able to enter our properties easily, which is very disturbing. It feels like there is no proper control or monitoring and residents are left to deal with crime completely on their own. There is a serious need for stronger police presence and CPF patrols in our area. If there is no consistent and visible police presence, crime will continue to increase. People are living in fear and the leadership in the area, who volunteered to represent our community, needs to do something urgently to ensure the safety and security of the community. Proper action and regular patrols can make a big difference in preventing such incidents from happening again.”
home, Sabeer Khan, said that the experience
was really traumatising, adding that he never
imagined that he would come almost face to
face with a gang of thieves in his own yard.
Ruan Louw of Van Den Heever Street, told the Laudium Sun, “I heard about thieves entering the property of a home on our street. It is clear that the situation could have turned very ugly if the homeowner had not spotted the thieves before they could enter his house. Incidents like these are becoming too common and it is worrying to see how bold criminals are becoming. This raises serious concerns about the level of safety in our neighbourhood and whether enough is being done by the law to protect residents. Crime in this area is getting worse and it feels like there are no strict measures in place to deal with criminals effectively. When there are no strong consequences nor visible policing, it only encourages more criminal activity. Criminals start to feel that they can get away with their illegal actions and that creates an unsafe environment for everyone living here. Residents should not have to live in constant fear of their homes being targeted. Another concern is the proximity of the nearby informal settlement, which is growing in numbers each day, with many of these people being either illegal immigrants or not having proper jobs. Many residents within our community believe that this influx of people is contributing to the increase in crime in our area. This has become a growing issue in the community and has still not been addressed carefully and responsibly by the Police, the CPF & the Ward Councillor. Without proper planning, monitoring and support systems, the challenges linked to these informal areas can spill over into surrounding neighbourhoods, affecting the safety and well-being of residents.”
Sakina Mohammed, also of Van Den Heever Street, told the Laudium Sun, “There is a strong need for visible and consistent police presence in Erasmia. Regular patrols and active monitoring can act as a deterrent to criminals, making them think twice before attempting to break into homes or commit other offences. At the moment, it feels like the community is going in circles, with the same issues being raised repeatedly, but no real solutions being implemented. What is needed now is decisive action by the police, the CPF and the politicians to implement better security measures and ensure that there is stronger collaboration between law enforcement agencies and the community. Without this, the situation is likely to continue worsening, leaving residents feeling vulnerable and unprotected in their own homes.”