Public safety officers of Hermanus Public Protection (HPP) have been kept busy in recent weeks. The month of August saw at least six incidents in and around Hermanus with suspects apprehended on a range of charges.
“Crime across the country remains a problem,” says Marius Boshoff, branch manager for Fidelity ADT. “This is true for Hermanus too, with contact crimes showing an increase while the town also recorded an increase in burglaries committed at residential and non-residential addresses. Police Minister Bheki Cele released crime statistics for the period of April-June in parliament recently.
“What we have counting in our favour, though, is the brave men and women who work everyday to keep Hermanus safe.
“This town has a committed team of police officers, neighbourhood watch members, armed response officers, and public safety officers, who stand ready to respond when anything happens and ensure perpetrators end up behind bars.”
Boshoff says HPP officers helped apprehend seven suspects during August, in separate incidents that ranged from shoplifting to a case of malicious damage to property.
The HPP team of CCTV operators were also involved in some of the cases when they spotted suspicious behaviour and alerted local officers to respond. One case also involved a member of the public contacting HPP to ask for assistance on behalf of a clothing store where a shoplifting suspect was later arrested.
“I am proud to see such great team work lead to these arrests,” Boshoff said. “My request to the public is to report all suspicious activity so that we can come to your aid. All crimes should please be reported to the Hermanus Police even in a case where nothing was stolen. An accurate picture of crime trends can help all of us to better protect the town and its people.”.HPP is a ratepayer funded organisation supported by Fidelity ADT.