Dear CIDC Stakeholder
Our last communication was through the turbulent period of hard lockdown and our need to draw closer together to deal with a crisis.
As the Claremont CIDC Community has returned to “business as usual”, there has been a mixture of gearing up for a summer retail season, the hybrid return of commercial workers and the full-time return of the student and school population, within the Claremont CBD.
The CIDC has also been gearing for a full-time return throughout the period of COVID and the gradual return to “business as usual.” Our model was one that continued to deliver its services to business, retail and shopper entering the Claremont CBD space.
Key to our model is that our services continued uninterrupted, without direct request from any of our key stakeholders who may have worked from home, shopped on-line or socialized within families. With the return to Claremont and increased opportunities for socialization, work and shopping has also seen the return of greater crime.
A cursory look over the last three months at official police crime statistics, shows that theft out of motor vehicles has sky-rocketed with the Claremont Policing Precinct, showing statistics for theft out of motor vehicles second only in the Province. Petty theft, like pick-pocketing, has placed us third in the Province. These are prized places in the Province we don’t want. In meeting with Claremont SAPS, Station Commander, Colonel Maree Louw and the Head of Visible Policing (VISPOL), Colonel Marnus Fourie, it is clear that these crimes are mostly driven by the negligence of vehicle owners leaving expensive equipment in plain sight, leaving room for opportunistic criminals.
An example of opportunistic theft out of motor vehicle crime recently dealt with by the CIDC, is in the early hours of the morning on Thursday 11 August, a CIDC Security Officer, caught two known homeless criminals opening up a vehicle in Claremont. When questioned, they said that the car was unlocked and that they were looking for something to eat. The SAPS was called out and took them both away for further questioning and investigation.
At the CIDC, we have increased patrols based on VISPOL Intelligence and have since seen a remarkable drop in theft out of motor vehicles in these hotspot areas.
We encourage members of the Claremont Community to make use of these three easy steps to assist the CIDC to identify the hotspot areas for greater policing.
Step 1 – Report all crime, no matter how small to Claremont SAPS
In the CIDC experience, it is often foreboding to visit 76 Imam Haron Road opposite Olympic Cycles, enter the face-brick building and engage with the Police Officers at the Community Service Centre (CSC). If this experience proves too challenging, please do not hesitate to contact the CIDC’s Brian Koopman (076 983 1702) or Elizabeth Jacobs (074 214 0448), who can guide you through this process.
Step 2 – Save these three numbers in your cell phone, in case of an emergency
- 10111 – The national call centre for the SAPS
- 021 480 7700 – City of Cape Town By-Law Enforcement
- 0800 200 597 – 24 Hour emergency contact within the Claremont CBD
Step 3 – Call on the CIDC
Most importantly, do not leave valuables in plain sight when you leave your vehicle. If you sense (even the smallest sense) that you are being watched, or are uncomfortable in an area, please call the CIDC’s emergency number 0800 200 597, which is available 24/7 and inform the CIDC Controller of your suspicions.