Just adding to the above post regarding crime etc.
Last week I had an intruder in my yard. I have some gadgets (http://www.roboguard.co.za) that beep if someone is in the garden. A few sensors that use radio waves to talk to a unit in the bedroom. Anyway, looking out of the window at midnight, there he walked slowly, in my outside spotlights. I didn't know how many and if they were armed (there have been armed robberies lately). I immediatley pushed the alarm panic button to set the siren off which appenrently scared him (them) off. A frightening thing, but glad I could react. I waited for the security company and we did a check of the property, heart pounding... Oh, and the police even arrived, good to see some sort of response. I thanked them for making an appearance (not common)
I drove around the neighbourhood, and met some security guys who said there were about 4 doing the rounds. I saw my mate from the nearby neighbourhood (http://www.suncellwatch.co.za) who was also driving around. Anyway headed home. Later, at about 2 am he smsed to say that more breakins down the road, I phoned and said that I was back in bed...
Then I remembered that Craig had come to my assistance on a few previous occassions, I thought I had better go and assist. Got in my car and went down the road to where he described. The local residents of that area (edging some industrial area) were running after the intruders. They were all black guys, and this gang had robbed them of some of their stuff. I suggested that they don't just chase after them on foot (one had just underpants on..) because they could be armed etc. "One just had some scissors" was his reply... Anyway, between this local batch of residents and myself and Craig from SCW, and three security vans, we played cat and mouse with this gang. They went back and forth, jumping over walls and trying to escape. Eventually we went down to the original spot and the locals had caught one of these 20 year olds. Let me just say that there was no mercy, and fortunately they were only kicking him etc. I think if there were rocks and that sort around, he would have got that too. I have been geting angry about this sort of thing, but something held me back from joining in. Bear in mind that there were no police around during this half hour escapade. I decuded to leave, didn't want to be a part of it. I tried the local police station, the number was still engaged, had tried a few times earlier. I eventually phoned the 10111 emergency number and asked the police to come, matters were being taken into peoples own hands.
I phoned Craig the next day who said that a policeman had arrived and who was apparently not too light handed on a second guy that was caught...There were originally 5 so 3 got away..
Anyway, a pity we have to get involved in such things, but it is getting quite bad. I've had text messages the last few nights about another nearby neighbourhood where a gang of 6 armed men have been targeting a particular road. Unbelievable stuff, but am sure most of you won't hear about it...
So that's my choice at the moment, do I sit and wait for a late night surprise, or do I get involved, a hard decision, when I leave a young family when I go out there. But it is becoming apparent that the police very often are not part of the solution. I shouldn't have to make that decision, but that seems to be what it has come down too. I look forward to the day when most of the neighbourhood are chasing these guys, they may opt for neighbourhoods where they don't get chased.
As I type this I realise that that is a new thing to me. There have been just a few burglars doing their thing from time to time. It is now clear that this is something that is happening in larger numbers now...scary hey...
I'm not posting this to scare some of you off, I wish you would all come back en mass. I write this because things have genuinely been relatively good for the last few years, but something has changed and it seems like there is a free for all happening here. And it's happening in a way that there are lots of syndicates or something else is sparking this thing off. But there is too much smoke for there to be no fire when it comes to Police corruption, so I suppose the criminals have never had it easier. The cops are getting shot often, never used to be heard of.
I am hearing of farmers on the Zim border having to round up lots of illegal Zim people that have come through the fences. They hand them over to the police. And heres the rub....!!!!! The main radio host on SAFM has a representative from the farmers and he's asking why the farmers are rounding up these people.... Oh, and the local police say there is no crisis on the border !!! Imagine being a poor Zimbabwean, arrested in Zim for anything and arrested in SA for trying to get out of there... It would be funny if it wasn't so serious...
Ranting over...
On wednesday going down to the former Transkei and fishing for the weekend, should be very nice.
Last week I had an intruder in my yard. I have some gadgets (http://www.roboguard.co.za) that beep if someone is in the garden. A few sensors that use radio waves to talk to a unit in the bedroom. Anyway, looking out of the window at midnight, there he walked slowly, in my outside spotlights. I didn't know how many and if they were armed (there have been armed robberies lately). I immediatley pushed the alarm panic button to set the siren off which appenrently scared him (them) off. A frightening thing, but glad I could react. I waited for the security company and we did a check of the property, heart pounding... Oh, and the police even arrived, good to see some sort of response. I thanked them for making an appearance (not common)
I drove around the neighbourhood, and met some security guys who said there were about 4 doing the rounds. I saw my mate from the nearby neighbourhood (http://www.suncellwatch.co.za) who was also driving around. Anyway headed home. Later, at about 2 am he smsed to say that more breakins down the road, I phoned and said that I was back in bed...
Then I remembered that Craig had come to my assistance on a few previous occassions, I thought I had better go and assist. Got in my car and went down the road to where he described. The local residents of that area (edging some industrial area) were running after the intruders. They were all black guys, and this gang had robbed them of some of their stuff. I suggested that they don't just chase after them on foot (one had just underpants on..) because they could be armed etc. "One just had some scissors" was his reply... Anyway, between this local batch of residents and myself and Craig from SCW, and three security vans, we played cat and mouse with this gang. They went back and forth, jumping over walls and trying to escape. Eventually we went down to the original spot and the locals had caught one of these 20 year olds. Let me just say that there was no mercy, and fortunately they were only kicking him etc. I think if there were rocks and that sort around, he would have got that too. I have been geting angry about this sort of thing, but something held me back from joining in. Bear in mind that there were no police around during this half hour escapade. I decuded to leave, didn't want to be a part of it. I tried the local police station, the number was still engaged, had tried a few times earlier. I eventually phoned the 10111 emergency number and asked the police to come, matters were being taken into peoples own hands.
I phoned Craig the next day who said that a policeman had arrived and who was apparently not too light handed on a second guy that was caught...There were originally 5 so 3 got away..
Anyway, a pity we have to get involved in such things, but it is getting quite bad. I've had text messages the last few nights about another nearby neighbourhood where a gang of 6 armed men have been targeting a particular road. Unbelievable stuff, but am sure most of you won't hear about it...
So that's my choice at the moment, do I sit and wait for a late night surprise, or do I get involved, a hard decision, when I leave a young family when I go out there. But it is becoming apparent that the police very often are not part of the solution. I shouldn't have to make that decision, but that seems to be what it has come down too. I look forward to the day when most of the neighbourhood are chasing these guys, they may opt for neighbourhoods where they don't get chased.
As I type this I realise that that is a new thing to me. There have been just a few burglars doing their thing from time to time. It is now clear that this is something that is happening in larger numbers now...scary hey...
I'm not posting this to scare some of you off, I wish you would all come back en mass. I write this because things have genuinely been relatively good for the last few years, but something has changed and it seems like there is a free for all happening here. And it's happening in a way that there are lots of syndicates or something else is sparking this thing off. But there is too much smoke for there to be no fire when it comes to Police corruption, so I suppose the criminals have never had it easier. The cops are getting shot often, never used to be heard of.
I am hearing of farmers on the Zim border having to round up lots of illegal Zim people that have come through the fences. They hand them over to the police. And heres the rub....!!!!! The main radio host on SAFM has a representative from the farmers and he's asking why the farmers are rounding up these people.... Oh, and the local police say there is no crisis on the border !!! Imagine being a poor Zimbabwean, arrested in Zim for anything and arrested in SA for trying to get out of there... It would be funny if it wasn't so serious...
Ranting over...
On wednesday going down to the former Transkei and fishing for the weekend, should be very nice.
Minister for the Motherland