Parow residents are encouraged to report all types of crime or suspicious activities, no matter how big or small. This, in turn, will help the police identify the crime hotspot areas in the area, says Warrant Officer Marco Geldenhuys, commander of Sector 2. Geldenhuys was addressing men and women at the Parow Community Health Centre on Thursday 27 June, when he asked residents to help the police fight crime.
“You need to report crime and open cases. This will help us identify the crime areas,” Geldenhuys says. He adds that robbery is a huge headache for the police in the Parow area.
“There is still a lot of work to do to get all the relevant roleplayers on board to help us fight crime. These are the Metro Police, Railway Police, Law Enforcement and the Voortrekker Road Corridor Improvement District (VRCID).”
He told those in attendance that the police are currently in talks with the City of Cape Town to get more law enforcement authorities deployed to the known hot-spot areas.
“As sector commander, my work is firstly to ensure safety in the community… If a crime is not reported, I will not know what happens in the area and where the hotspots areas are.”
Geldenhuys says Parow train station is another headache for the authorities. “We want to deploy more Railway Police at the train station, but as you know we are understaffed. We are trying to get more officers at the station because often we only have one patrol vehicle on duty,” Geldenhuys says.
He says the City is also committed to help rid Station Road of crime. Geldenhuys also supplied the people with some useful safety tips. “Never walk alone; avoid places where you know criminals hide out; always look around and be aware of your surroundings; if you suspect that you are being followed, cross the road or walk towards other pedestrians; do not walk around talking on your cell phone; do not wear earphones while you are walking in public; close your doors and windows at night; always be vigilant when visiting the ATM; never withdraw cash late at night and do not share your personal banking information with strangers. Also, do not allow strangers to go inside your house,” Geldenhuys urges.
The talk last week was organised by Spirituality Media Charity, a Parow based nonprofit organisation.
To report a crime call the Parow Police on 021 929 7000.
