Northern Cape- The Christmas festive season has hit it’s high pitch and accompanied with this, people have become more relaxed and lackadaisical. Police throughout the country are performing special operations in line with Operation: Duty Calls and thus far this Province has yielded the desired results so far.

Proactive measures need to be in place in order to ensure that everyone enjoys a crime free safer festive season. The SAPS would like to warn the community to take heed of the following and to assist law enforcement agencies in taking measures in safeguarding their own property .

Here are a few useful hints that homeowners and the public can take note of:
– House keys should never be left lying around or kept dangling on the outside doors. They should be kept in a safe place and out of sight.
– Owners to park their vehicles in the garages (if they have one). Even if vehicles are parked in the garage, make sure that the garage doors and vehicle is locked and that the vehicle’s alarm is activated.
– Never leave valuable items (laptops, cellphones) lying around before retiring for the night. Don’t’ ignore the irritating bark of your or your neighbour’s dogs. Housebreakers will rarely enter through the front of a house as they can be easily seen from the road. It has been reported that criminals are scaling over walls and getting away. Dogs will alert you of exactly where they are. Phone the police immediately of any suspicious or unusual activity or barking.
– Take note and be observant of any bushy or vacant area near your house. Most of the time, criminals will hide the stolen items in the bush and return later to fetch it.

– Firearm owners to make sure those firearms are locked away in a safe and that the keys are kept with the owner at all times. Failure to do so may result in criminal cases being opened against the firearm owner.

– Drugs and substance abuse contributes enormously to the commission of various crimes such as assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm, rape and murder as well as incidents of domestic violence. Many suspects are intoxicated or under the influence of illegal substances when they commit crime. Parents need to know where their children are at all times. Women should not walk home late at night or during the early hours of the morning. This usually happens after women are highly intoxicated and when leaving the taverns. This behaviour makes them vulnerable to attacks.

– Avoid isolated ATM’s and using an ATM late at night. Never give your card or pin number to anyone for any reason – not even a bank official, security personnel or a police officer. Never accept help from strangers when using an ATM. If you are distracted by someone while you are attempting to make a transaction, cancel your transaction immediately.

– Be aware of the 419 scam. You may be offered the opportunity to claim monies worth millions of rands. Under no circumstances should you attempt to reply, either by email, phone or post.

Police in Roodepan, Galeshewe and Kagisho have arrested several suspects during a simultaneous suspect raid held on Thursday evening (12/12) . A total of 31 suspects were arrested for crimes ranging from Rape, Robbery, Attempted murder, housebreaking, Contravention of Protection Orders, Assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm and theft. Some of these suspects have already appeared in court on Friday, 13/13 while the rest will appear on Tuesday, 17/212.

The fight against crime is everyone’s responsibility and we appeal to the community to join hands with us and together we can enjoy a crime free and safer festive season. The South African Police Service and partners will be out in full force to ensure that you, the community is safe. Those who break the law will face the full might of the judicial system.-TDN
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(Unedited statement from Northern Cape South African Police Service)