PLETTENBERG BAY NEWS - While the festive season is about relaxing, Plettenberg Bay crime fighters have warned that this should not apply to vigilance in terms of crime following a spate of incidents that came with the arrival of holidaymakers.
"The holidaymakers are arriving in a steady stream, and are relaxing more than they should, under the circumstances. We have already had a number of break-ins," said Lisa Nagel of Plett Watch, Bitou's local neighbourhood watch group.
"Our response team is out every night in relays and has managed to remove many threats in town and the suburbs, but do need your (residents and visitors) vigilance to assist."
She said that crime had picked up, as it does every year when holidaymakers arrive for the festive season. "People are under the impression that we are crime free in Plett. Windows and doors are left open, alarms are not activated and valuables are left in vehicles. There has been a spate of break-ins in Church, Breach, Hill and Sydney streets. The Julia Avenue and Challenge Drive area is also vulnerable as well as the Cutty Sark and Serica Place area. Robberg Road, Maplin and Entaa areas are also busy. These are all hotspots and they have easy escape routes out of town or into the bushes close by."
One of these incidents happened in Julia Avenue on Monday night at about 20:50. A woman arrived home and as she was driving into her property, a man slipped through the open gate. Nagel said a private security guard chased the perpetrator, who then turned around and stabbed the guard. He was rushed to a local hospital.
"Please be on alert for scouters and unusual activity in your area and report immediately. Our Constitution allows freedom of movement in public areas, and therefore any potential criminal is protected by this. They may move around as they please. It is difficult to remove a person with these rights and all we can do is be very vigilant and aware of their movements. Our properties are private and if they enter, they are trespassing. Our safety as a community is reliant on all of us being vigilant and notifying our neighbours etc. of any unusual activity on or around our properties."
Nagel urged residents and visitors to ensure that windows and doors are securely locked, even if they leave home only for a few minutes.
"Activate your alarm whenever you leave home, and activate alarm zones that are not in use in your homes. Ensure your doors and windows are locked at night and your alarm is activated before going to bed. Make sure all balcony doors are locked whenever you are not in a room leading onto them. Check that your gates are closed at night. Do not leave valuables in your vehicles and ensure that they are parked behind locked gates and not on the pavement outside your house."
She further urged residents and visitors to not leave laundry on washing lines overnight. "Be vigilant at all times, and be aware of unusual noises and activity in your area. Take note of dogs barking etc. They are often a first warning sign that criminals are moving in the area."
Nagel also urged residents and visitors not to feed vagrants, but to rather direct them to the shelter in Marine Way or to the soup kitchens in the various townships.
Plettenberg Bay police spokesman Captain Marlene Pieterse supported Nagel's message of vigilance, also urging visitors and residents to be crime-wise and not complacent during the festive season.
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