Another week and yet again residents in the Laudium/Erasmia area, remain frustrated, as crime continues, leaving many with sleepless nights, fearing that they could be the next target of criminals.
This is despite the Laudium CPF collecting money, both in cash and in kind, from the community for its so-called crime-curbing projects, including funding for CPF patrollers. Despite repeated calls from community members, including the Concerned Community Forum (CCF), for the CPF to make its financial statements public, the financials remain “hidden” for reasons unknown. Even those who attend CPF meetings are not provided with copies of the financial reports.
CCF representative Lushika Mooloo, who attended the recent Laudium CPF meeting along with other members, told the Laudium Sun that she was disappointed the financials were not presented at the meeting. Furthermore, although the Laudium CPF supposedly represents the community, residents are blocked from commenting on the CPF’s social media platforms. As a result, there is a lack of transparency and the community has no voice to air grievances or make suggestions regarding crime in the area.
This comes amid further reports of crime received this week by the Laudium Sun for statistical purposes, aimed at warning and keeping residents informed.
In one of the latest incidents reported, occupants of a white VW Polo have once again been identified as being involved in criminal activities in the area. Yet the CPF and local police appear either uninterested or unable to apprehend the criminals, who continue to drive freely around Laudium, despite the CPF’s claims that it is committed to “ensuring the safety and security of our community.”
In this latest incident, thieves broke into a property and attempted to steal a vehicle from the yard. On Saturday night, February 21, at around 9pm, three Black males arrived in a white Polo at a property in the gated 7th Avenue area of Laudium. After lifting the security gate off its rail, they gained access to the yard and broke into a silver Toyota Yaris parked inside. The suspects rolled the vehicle out of the yard and attempted to steal it. Fortunately, while the stolen car was parked outside a neighbour’s house and the thieves were trying to start it by hot-wiring it, a patrolling security guard spotted them. After calling for backup and shouting at the suspects, the thieves abandoned the vehicle, jumped into their awaiting Polo, and sped away.
Mah Jabeen, the owner of the Toyota Yaris and a resident of 7th Avenue, told the Laudium Sun that she and her family were inside having supper at the time of the incident and initially heard nothing unusual. “Everything seemed normal and there was no sign that anything suspicious was happening outside in our yard,” she said. After a few minutes, they suddenly heard loud noises coming from outside and rushed out to investigate. They discovered that thieves had lifted the front gate, even though the car was parked inside the gated yard. The gate had been raised enough to allow the suspects to enter the property. Once inside, they went directly to the vehicle, broke the door lock, and gained access to the car.
According to Mah Jabeen, the thieves appeared prepared and determined to take the vehicle. They stole items from inside the car, including her husband’s sunglasses, before rolling the vehicle out of the yard. As they were attempting to start it, a private security guard who regularly patrols the street noticed them and reacted immediately. “The guard screamed at the thieves and, as soon as they realised they had been spotted, they jumped out of the car,” she said. The suspects abandoned the vehicle in front of a neighbour’s house and fled the scene.
Although the car was recovered, Mah Jabeen said the damage to the door and the theft of personal belongings have caused distress. “Crime in this place is really bad and we are not living freely anymore. This area used to be quiet and peaceful, but with the increasing crime, we no longer feel safe in our own homes. Even the security gates on the streets are not helping, as it seems these thieves are determined to steal in Laudium, come what may,” she said.
Osman Nyadani, who works at Mah Jabeen’s home, said he was not present when the thieves broke into the car but had been informed of the incident. He confirmed that, according to the patrolling security guard, there were three suspects driving a white Polo. “Crime is really bad in Laudium, as almost each day a car seems to be stolen, even in this gated area,” he said.
Security guard Francois Tharan told the Laudium Sun that he was on shift when he saw the suspects attempting to steal the Toyota Yaris. He immediately called for assistance and ran toward the suspects with two other guards. “Together, we managed to stop the thieves from driving away with the Toyota, but we did not manage to catch them as they fled the scene quickly,” he said. “We will not tolerate any crime in this area as we are committed to protecting the residents of 7th Avenue in Laudium, even if it means risking our lives.”
screaming when he saw the thieves, thus managing to stop them from stealing the
Toyota.