Burglaries remain a serious cause of concern within Newcastle, with two recent incidents in Schuinshoogte and Aviary Hill resulting in suspects escaping with nearly R90,000 worth of items.
According to the Newcastle SAPS, the first incident unfolded on 17 May 2024 on Viooltjie Avenue, Schuinshoogte.
An official police source explained that, according to the homeowner, when he left his wife at home during the morning, everything was in order. However, at approximately 12 pm, his wife contacted him to inform him that their house had been broken into.
The police source speculated that the woman had allegedly stepped out for a while, during which time the suspects allegedly took advantage of the situation and forced a window open to gain access to the house. The suspects then managed to escape with approximately R37,000 worth of property.
The second incident also took place on 17 May 2024, but this time suspects targeted a home on Drakensberg Drive in Aviary Hill during the night. An official police source explained that the resident was not at home at the time of the incident but received a call from his security company, notifying him that his alarm had gone off.
He immediately rushed home and found officers from the security company waiting for him. An inspection was conducted, revealing that the perpetrators had gained entry to his home by bending a burglar bar. Once inside, they managed to escape with property valued at R49,928.
As police investigate the two burglaries, Newcastle SAPS spokesperson Lizzy Arumugam explained that when a person’s home is broken into, there are certain steps to follow. These steps, Arumugam noted, are as follows:
- Contact your nearest police station immediately.
- Wait until fingerprints and statements are taken before touching anything.
- Unless it is absolutely necessary, do not allow private security companies to enter the house or touch anything before the police have investigated the scene.
- Look out for strange footprints in the garden and point them out to the police.
- A list of the make, model, and serial numbers of electrical appliances and other valuable equipment should always be available for investigation purposes.
While residents are encouraged to follow the above-mentioned steps, the Newcastle Community Policing Forum hosted a community meeting on Monday evening, 20 May 2024, in Amiel Park, focussing on Aviary Hill, Hutten Heights, Schuinshoogte, and Amiel Park. As per the meeting, crime has risen in these suburbs.
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With this in mind, residents are now urged to get involved in crime-fighting initiatives with the Newcastle CPF.
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