Residents blue in the face complaining about crime as home invaded by gang of thieves on Aquamarine Str

Another week and unfortunately residents in the Laudium/Erasmia have once more had to face crime, with thieves invading their private properties.

While the local police and CPF say they are not allowed to give any details of crimes committed in the area to the public, residents continue to complain about the high crime in the area.

In one of the latest incidents of crime reported to the Laudium Sun for information or stats purposes, a home on Aquamarine Street, Laudium, was invaded by a gang of thieves the previous Wednesday evening at around 8:30pm while the occupants of the house were away. According to CCTV footage, three Black males broke into the house, ransacking the home, looking for valuables. The thieves managed to then leave the premises, after stealing a number of items, including laptops, cash and branded clothes, without being spotted by the police or CPF patrollers. When the Laudium Sun visited the house a day later, the homeowner was not available.

However, we met Tshepo Raphulu, a security guard at the Aquamarine Street home, who told the Laudium Sun, “The theft took place when the family of the house was gone out and my day shift had also ended when the break-in happened. What I heard was that the thieves jumped from the back wall of the house to gain entry into the property. The thieves then broke the kitchen door and entered the main house. There were three thieves involved in the break-in and they managed to carry out the crime without being noticed at the time. I am not sure what exactly was stolen, but I heard that the thieves stole expensive clothes, cash and two laptops from the house. When I was guarding the house earlier in the day there was nothing suspicious that I noticed. Everything appeared normal and quiet. It seems these thieves were observing the house from a distance and waiting for the right opportunity to get inside. They probably planned to break into the house after my shift had ended. Unfortunately, perhaps even fortunately the people of the house were not present, which made it easier for the thieves to carry out the crime. After the owner looked at the CCTV footage, it was established that the break-in occurred at around 8:30pm at night when no one was at the house. This street used to be a quiet place, but with a lot of cars moving up and down, it has now become much busier. This increased movement may be one of the reasons why criminals are taking advantage of the situation, to commit crime in the area. Crime is affecting everyone here and it is becoming a serious issue for residents. As security guards, we are committed to doing whatever we can to protect our clients’ families, properties and also the community. We will continue to give our full effort and remain dedicated to ensuring the safety and protection of residents in the area, but we need the help of the police, the community and other security companies, so that we can fight this crime together.”

Nizam Mohammed of Aquamarine Street told the Laudium Sun, “Crime is increasing at an alarming rate in our area and even in gated street areas and we are no longer safe in Laudium. The presence of security guards in the gated areas do not provide the level of protection that residents expect, as there is very little active patrolling or visible effort to monitor suspicious activity. This creates a sense of vulnerability among residents, as it feels like there is no real deterrent in place to prevent criminals from targeting our homes. There is a growing concern that both law enforcement and private security are not doing enough to ensure the safety of the community. Criminals appear to be operating freely, choosing their targets without fear of being caught or of being stopped. It feels as though they are able to plan their activities openly, deciding which homes to target and when to strike, while residents are left to deal with the consequences. This situation has created an environment where people no longer feel secure in their own homes. Residents are the ones who suffer the most, as they are directly affected by these crimes, both financially and emotionally. The fear of being targeted at any time has become a constant concern and it has changed the way people live their daily lives. There is a strong feeling that the police resources that are supposed to protect the community are not being used effectively, which adds to the frustration and sense of helplessness. Despite having security measures and the local police and CPF in place, there is little confidence that these are making any real difference. It feels like residents are left to rely on themselves, without clear guidance or support on how to combat the rise in crime. There is an urgent need for more effective action, better co-ordination and a stronger commitment from the police and the CPF to protect the community, as the current situation is not sustainable and continues to put residents at risk.”