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Opportunistic criminals are on the prowl in the Kensington and Factreton areas, leaving residents angered.
The Kensington Educare Centre has been burgled multiple times in the past three months.
Fadia Hurling, deputy principal at the centre, says: “On (Monday) 13 March our alarm was activated so they could not enter. Two days after that, they returned and gained entry through one of the classroom windows. They took small items like our stationery.”
Hurling says on Monday 20 March the thieves broke into their kitchen and cleared their freezer.
“They took our monthly supply of food from the freezer. At the beginning of this month (May), they also entered on two occasions and stole food items and damaged the roof in one of the classrooms.”
Hurling says burglaries often take place at night during load shedding.
She says they are now forced to get extra burglar bars and safety gates.
“We have to fix the roof and fix the windows which were tampered with. If we calculate all the safety measures that we will have to put in place, it will cost us more than R80 000.”
This is an expense she says they can ill afford.
Soraya Alexander, facilitator at Kensington, Factreton Meals on Wheels, says their kitchen was burgled a month ago.
The organisation runs a programme for seniors and supplies them with a warm meal.
Alexander says: “For this year, there have been three break-ins. In March, they entered through the roof and stole all our cutlery, food stock from the freezer and some electric appliances. We are an NPO, we can hardly afford this. They don’t even think that it could be their grandparents or parents that we are trying to help.”
Zahier Davids, the owner of Spinnerkop, a small business manufacturing rugs, says a recent burglary at the premises amounted to R5 000 worth of damages.
“They stole one of our glue guns and damaged the toilet window. I had to install an alarm system. I now take a drive to the premises at night just to check if everything is in order.”
Davids says as a result of the economic climate his business is already taking strain.
“Load shedding is a major problem. The workflow has been slow. Our aim is to empower women, especially victims of gender-based violence, but we cannot train people if there is no work.”
Rev Bejorn Manuals, Rector at the New Apostolic Church on 18th Avenue, says the church has been targeted twice this year.
“In the first attempt, they gained access to the female toilet window, they took non-perishable items which the congregation collected to distribute to those in need. It was valued at about R2 500. Earlier this month, they gained access through the male toilet and damaged the latch of the window and tried to remove the handles of the front door.”
George Rodrigues, a retired rector of the church, says: “The burglaries have become a problem now. I was the rector here for 14 years and it only happened once during my time here. This recent break-in is about the fourth time in recent years. We have a massive problem in this area of young people that are enslaved by drugs. It’s a pity today that children bring so much harm to their own family life.”
Lt Col Delmore Manuel, Kensington Police Station Commander, confirmed that there has been a spike in burglaries in the area. He says in most cases they happen at night during load shedding.
Manuel says police are putting plans in place to address the issue. He believes the appointment of two new sector commanders (Sgt James Moses commander of Sector 2 Kensington and Const Samkele Saki the commander of Sector 1 Factreton) at the station will help address the challenge.
He says a sector commander responds to complaints, execute arrests and is responsible for interacting, consulting and engaging with the community in addressing crime.
