While local residents continue facing serious crime on a frequent basis, petty crime seemingly continues on a daily basis, with many residents not even bothered to report these crimes, saying that it is a waste of time as the police do not seem to be interested in catching the criminals.
In one of the latest incidents of petty crime reported to the Laudium Sun, two Black males were involved in the theft of a spare tyre from a delivery van parked outside an Onyx Street home in Laudium. The theft which took place the previous Thursday morning at around 10am, has once more highlighted the concerns of residents about the growing number of ‘vagrants’ freely walking the streets of Laudium, without being searched or questioned by the police, concerning their place of residence and movements.
Onyx Street resident, known as Riana Bhamjee by neighbours, told the Laudium Sun, “The theft of the tyre happened at around 10am in the morning, from our delivery van that was parked outside the house. The van is used for deliveries and it was only after our driver did a routine check before going out for deliveries, that he discovered that the spare tyre was missing. We then checked the CCTV footage, which showed two Black males going inside the van and stealing the tyre. Crime in this area has become a serious problem, with incidents like these happening almost every week. Replacing a delivery vehicle tyre is expensive and for a small business, this is another cost that is difficult to manage. These thefts affect the livelihood of local business owners, making it harder to run their operations. On top of that, other crimes such as pickpocketing and break-ins are becoming more frequent, making residents feel unsafe in their own areas. Despite being close to the Police Station, criminals are still able to carry out these activities without fear. The police need to take stronger action because right now it feels like there is no protection. The impact of these incidents of crime goes beyond money. Families are afraid to leave their homes unattended and business owners are worried about further losses. The overall feeling of safety in the neighborhood is fast decreasing and residents feel frustrated that security measures do not seem to be effective. Stronger security measures and more regular police patrols by the authorities are very urgently needed. Until stern action is taken by the police, residents will continue to live in fear and small businesses will continue facing financial and emotional challenges. This theft is part of a bigger problem in the area, showing that more needs to be done to protect residents and their property.”
Deanen Pillay of Onyx Street, told the Laudium Sun, “Overall crime in the area has become very concerning because there are almost no patrols, neither from the police nor from CPF patrollers. The street has become unsafe and criminals are taking advantage of this lack of monitoring, committing various illegal activities. Even though there is a Police Station located very close to the street, it does not seem to stop the criminals from acting freely. Residents are now living in fear, feeling that their safety and security are being completely ignored. Urgent action is definitely needed from the authorities.”
Veggie Padayachee, also of Onyx Street, told the Laudium Sun, “The level of crime in the area has reached a very high point and it seems almost impossible to stop the criminals. The security systems in place, including street gates, are not effective. The police and CPF have to do more to curb the ongoing crime in the area. Criminals are taking full advantage of the weakness of the police and are controlling the area, making residents feel unsafe in their own homes. People are frustrated and worried because no real action seems to be taken to protect the community.”