Staff Reporter
Windhoek
Residents in Katutura and Khomasdal do not inform the police to keep an eye on their properties when they travel over the holiday, the City Police has said.
City Police spokesperson Cillie Auala said the statistics show that the western suburbs (Katutura side) are more affected in terms of housebreak-ins compared to the eastern more affluent part of the city.
“Most importantly, we always advise members of the public to inform City Police whenever they will leave their properties unoccupied during holidays, or long weekends such as Easter, but Katutura and Khomasdal residents don’t approach our office. It seems only people from the eastern suburbs feel the need to inform the police to take care of their properties when travelling,” Auala remarked.
She said the public needs to understand that although they inform the police that they are travelling it does not mean the police will guarantee 24-hour security to their properties, “ but at least we will be able to direct our patrols accordingly, create visibility and eliminate every possible opportunity for crime to occur.”
Auala said the major crimes of concern in the City of Windhoek over the past Easter weekend were normally housebreak-ins, armed robbery, and assault with grievous bodily harm.
“Housebreaking remained a concern in zone 3 and 9 – this is Goreangab, Greenwell and part of Khomasdal adjacent to Ramatex. The methods used range from breaking the door or padlock to cutting the chain. The most popular stolen items were electrical appliances and clothes,” Auala noted.
She said having proper security measures in place or leaving someone to look after the house at all times is one way the public can help reduce break-ins.
Auala further said over the Easter long weekend street-fights and assaults by stabbing or use of stones were dominant in the areas of Single Quarters in Katutura Central and the informal settlement near Otjomuise. Such incidents were also common in areas of 7de Laan and 8ste Laan.
Auala said several violent incidents happened, mainly because there are many shebeens in these areas and alcohol is always a contributing factor in most incidents of public and domestic violence. She said in some instances people would fight relentlessly just for a bottle of alcohol, such as Tassenberg red wine.