Residents in the Laudium/Erasmia area continue to have sleepless nights and live in fear as the ongoing crime remains a serious problem in the area.
In both Laudium and Erasmia, residents have clearly realised that dependence on the local police or security companies to protect them is not working and thus have looked at other measures to protect themselves and their properties. Walling off areas to closing off areas by having street gates installed, are but some of the desperate measures residents are taking in order to protect themselves and their properties, albeit at a high cost. In yet another week of incidents of crime reported to the Laudium Sun for stats purposes so that other residents can be warned, a house in Erasmia, which has been divided into two apartments, was invaded by criminals. This follows the Women’s Day long weekend turning into distress for the Jassat and Ebrahim families after both families returned this past Sunday evening (August 11) from separate weekend outings, to their rented apartments at the property on the corner of Moeder and Aletta Streets, only to find the place ransacked by unknown thieves.
Zaakir Ebrahim who stays in the one part of the rented house, told the Laudium Sun, “My wife and I got home early on Sunday (August 11) evening at around 17:30 from a weekend away and immediately when we got home, I noticed that the front gate was off the rail. However, I did not take it to head, thinking it was just a ‘wear and tear issue’. But when we entered the yard, I felt
that something was wrong. I went around the yard and noticed that one of our windows were broken and so was my back door and that of our neighbour, living in the other part of the house. I immediately called my neighbour Muhammed who was also away to inform him of this unfortunate
incident. When we went into the house we were shocked to find the place upside down as it had been ransacked. It was clear that the thieves were looking for valuables and thus searched the entire apartment. A number of items were missing including jewellery and some cash that we had at home.”
Muhammed Jassat who stays in the other part of the rented house and who was made aware of the break-in by his neighbour told the Laudium Sun, “My family and I went to visit my mother in North West for the weekend. Whilst on our way back on Sunday (August 11) late afternoon, I received a phone call from my neighbour, Zaakir who broke the news to me that there has been a break-in, in his apartment and that he suspects that the same has been done to our apartment as he found that our back door was also broken. When we got home around 6pm we were shocked to find that almost everything in the house was turned upside down. The thieves ransacked the whole house, with our clothes and other items thrown out from the cupboard onto the floor. I am not even sure what exactly was stolen, but I know that they stole our jewellery. They made a huge mess in the house and I believe they were looking for cash. Fortunately we do not keep cash at home due to the high crime in the area, which we read often about in the Laudium Sun. It is frightening the level of crime going on in the Laudium and Erasmia area.” Muhammed believes that the thieves removed the gate off its rail and broke his neighbours window but ended up breaking the doors as the windows had buglers bars. He also feels that the thieves got inside their apartments at around 8pm on Saturday evening (August 10) as he learnt later that his alarm went off at that time. Unfortunately, at the time, he did not get any notifications because of his location and network problems.
An Erasmia resident who lives nearby the rental apartments, told the Laudium Sun on condition of anonymity, that he saw two black males walking suspiciously in the area on Saturday evening, but before he could follow them, they disappeared.
