Residents of Besta Home in Crossroads are appealing to the police to increase patrols in the area after some of their homes were broken into over the past few weeks.
On Saturday August 4, angry residents took to the streets and marched to the Nyanga police station where they handed a list of their demands.
They said they felt neglected by the authorities, claiming that they had lodged numerous cases at Nyanga police station with no action from the police.
It is alleged that criminals are running amok in the area, kicking in doors of people’s homes in broad daylight.
Residents are also blaming the police for releasing suspected criminals too soon. One of the residents said: “We live in fear inside our homes. You can imagine on the streets. We are terrorised by young people who are not scared to kick the doors. In a matter of two weeks in my street, three houses were broken into,” he said.
Another resident said her neighbour’s house had been ransacked and various items stolen.
“They took almost everything. No one saw them. At some point we managed to catch three boys and took them to the police, but they were back on the streets in no time. If this continues this way, I see residents taking the law into their own hands. You wait and watch,” she warned.
Chairman of the Sisonke Crime Watch Community Organisation, Patrick Mwando, said the community had opted to work together to eliminate criminal activities.
“The sooner police respond to our demands, the better. The problem is that we apprehend these guys and take them to the police, but nothing is happening. We are victims of crime supported by police,” he said.
He said the community had decided to patrol the area and claim back their streets because there was no police visibility. “We are saying enough is enough. Crime must fall,” he said.
Police had not yet responded to Vukani’s queries by the time this edition went to print.