As more and more squatters erect shacks on the hills of Erasmia, residents in the residential area of Erasmia say that they are concerned with the increased number of vagrants walking through the neighbourhood and seemingly watching their homes, as crime increases.
While the Erasmia CPF and local Police say they are not allowed to give weekly crime stats, residents remain in the dark as to how many incidents of crime are being carried out on a daily or weekly basis.
This follows yet another home in Erasmia being invaded by thieves, with the latest invasion being this past Monday (October 26), in the early hours at around 2.30am.
Thieves entered the yard of the property on De Winter Street by lifting the palisade security gate off its track. It was clear that the aim of the gang of thieves was to steal a white Big Boy delivery motorcycle, which they apparently had been eyeing for a few days.
However, as the trio were moving the motorbike out of the yard, family members in the house, who were asleep, woke up after hearing some noise, immediately switched on all their outside lights and started shouting, resulting in the trio leaving the bike and making a quick getaway through the open ground opposite the house.
Hawa Bibi of De Winter Street, Erasmia, told the Laudium Sun, “It was a really scary morning for my family and I, as three Black guys managed to enter our property and were busy stealing our motorcycle, by slowly pushing it out of the yard. Luckily, their attempt failed because we woke up after hearing a loud noise coming from the gate. We immediately switched on some lights and screamed, causing the thieves to run away. It was clear to us if we had not woken up in time, they would have stolen the motorbike. The Almighty saved us, as we were fortunate enough to scare the thieves away. This incident has left us feeling unsafe in our own home. What if they had managed to steal the motorcycle? What if they had then intended to also come into the house and attack and rob us instead? We do not know what their intentions were and that is what makes this incident so frightening. The security situation in our street is really bad. We hardly see Police vans patrolling our area and this leaves residents feeling vulnerable. We do not know when criminals will strike again or which household will become their next target. The weakness of the CPF is also a concern for us. We do not see its presence in our area and we do not even know whether the CPF is actively operating here. Residents need to know who they can turn to when they face crime-related problems and who is responsible for ensuring that our neighbourhood remains safe. Erasmia is going from bad to worse when it comes to crime. Incidents of crime are happening more regularly and residents are becoming increasingly worried about their safety, as we see more and more strangers walking on our streets who do not live here. We need stronger security measures in our neighbourhood, more frequent Police patrols and a visible CPF presence. The authorities must take the situation seriously before something more serious happens. Today, it was an attempted motorcycle theft, but tomorrow it could be a robbery or another criminal incident that puts someone’s life at risk. We cannot wait until someone gets hurt before action is taken. At the moment, many of us feel that Erasmia is no longer a safe place to live and we want the relevant authorities to address our concerns before the situation deteriorates further.”
Geleey Lombard, also of De Winter Street, told the Laudium Sun, “I saw the CCTV footage of what had happened in our street through the Laudium Sun’s online post and I was shocked by what had happened. It is frightening to think that three thieves could enter someone’s property by opening the gate while the occupants were inside their home. What worries me most is how easily criminals seem to be getting away with these incidents. If they can enter a property in the early hours of the morning, what is stopping them from targeting another household? Residents should not have to worry about their safety every time they go to sleep. We are not feeling secure in Erasmia at all. There seems to be a growing problem with crime and residents are becoming increasingly anxious about what might happen next. You hear about one incident and before you know it, there is another one, but we are kept in the dark as to the true picture of the crime situation in our area, as the Police and the CPF do not divulge crime stats and many people do not even bother reporting crime, especially petty crime, as the Police do not show an interest in catching the culprits. It has reached a point where residents are questioning whether their homes and families are truly safe. It is also concerning that we do not seem to have enough visible law enforcement in our neighbourhood. We need to see more Police patrols, especially during the night when these incidents are more likely to happen. Criminals should know that there is a strong presence keeping an eye on the area. People work hard to build their lives and provide for their families. The last thing anyone should experience is the fear of waking up to find strangers inside their property or discovering that their belongings have been stolen. These incidents affect not only our possessions but also our peace of mind. We cannot continue living like this and simply accept crime as part of our daily lives. The local Police, CPF and the politicians need to take residents’ concerns seriously and work towards finding lasting solutions. Erasmia is becoming an increasingly worrying place for residents, especially with the growing squatter camp nearby. Something needs to change before a more serious incident occurs. Safety should not be a luxury. Every resident deserves protection and we need to see practical steps being taken to restore confidence in our neighbourhood. We need the CPF to give us regular feedback as to how they are working with the Police in fighting crime, as we cannot keep living in a world where fear has become part of our everyday lives.”
