With the school holidays and the festive season on our doorstep, it is good to know that the Hermanus police are making great strides in the fight against crime.
Colonel Gustav Tamboer, commander of the Hermanus Police Station, reports 487 arrests were made for a range of crimes in November.
“I am very proud of our detectives, who worked hard to ensure 71,46% (401) of the 561 dockets that were registered were sent to court,” he stated.
Other successes for the month include a 20,6% decrease in property-related crimes including house break-ins, stock theft and theft of or out of a motor vehicle, a 2,3% reduction in contact crimes such as murder, attempted murder, assault common and assault with the intent to cause grievous bodily harm, a 3,7% drop in contact-related crimes like arson and malicious damage to property; and a decrease of 7,1% in other serious crimes including theft, fraud and shoplifting. The trio crimes category – robberies at homes and businesses, and hijackings – also showed a decrease of 12%
“Our 17 priority crimes, including drug-related crimes, decreased by 10,2%,” Tamboer stated. “This is truly an achievement to be proud of.”
Integrated crime-fighting operations such as Vehicle Control Check Points (VCPs) in conjunction with other law-enforcement agencies such as neighbourhood watches, security companies, Overstrand Law Enforcement and Traffic departments during the month of November also paid off. This is evident from the statistics that show a 257,1% increase in arrests made for the possession of as well as the confiscation of dangerous weapons. Arrests for the illegal dealing in liquor also showed a sharp spike of 325%.
“I am super-proud of my members’ brilliance in securing these successes,” Tamboer stated. “I want to acknowledge your commitment and dedication towards the Police Service and the community.
“My plea to you is to respect every single person around you, no matter who it might be, and I can assure you it will pay dividends.”
He urged the community to be more safety conscious this festive season.
“Always be aware of what is happening around you, ensure that you lock your doors and secure your windows, pack away valuables where it won’t be in plain sight and report any suspicious activities or behaviour,” he added.
