It is evident that criminals in the Laudium area, especially nyaopes or those addicted to drugs, are stealing just about any item they can get their hands on, which they can sell quickly for a few rand, in order to buy a quick ‘fix’ for themselves.
Over recent months, residents have reported about outside light fittings, taps, water copper pipes and even pot plants being stolen from their yards. A number of grave name metal frames from the Laudium Cemetery and even steel doors from council electricity sub stations have been reported stolen. Once again, complaints have been received about steel doors being stolen from an electricity sub-station, this time on Agra Str East. However, the Laudium Sun has learnt that in this incident, there seems to be a syndicate, using young kids to do the stealing of these items. CCTV footage shows a young boy with the door, being dropped off by a driver of a Blue Polo, at a recycling dealer on Brown Street.
Omar Abdullah of nearby Bengal Str told the Laudium Sun, “The worrying part is not just the fact that these guys can walk around freely on our streets and steal whatever they want, but the danger of the after effects is much greater. What would have happened if a child or even an adult had to touch the wires by mistake, of the open electrical box, due to the door being stolen, especially during this rainy season. I immediately called Councillor Naeem Patel when I realised the danger the electrical box posed due to its door being missing. Thankfully the door was soon replaced.”
The Laudium Sun approached Shaida Ismail of the recycling business on Brown Street, just opposite the cemetery. According to Shaida, a local youngster came in with the electric box door and told her that he wanted to sell it to her and asked her how much she would pay him. “My immediate response to him was that I do not buy items that belong to the council. I asked the youngster to immediately leave, but he did not want to go. Eventually I shouted that he leave and threatened to call the police, but he still refused to go. Then, I called the police, but when they arrived the boy left the door and ran away. Later I looked at my CCTV footage and saw that the youngster had arrived in a Blue Polo Vivo that just dropped him and drove off. I don’t know who the boy is and whether he works with a syndicate.”
Councillor Naeem Patel has advised residents to immediately call the police whenever someone suspiciously approaches them to sell any item believed to be stolen or when no proof of ownership and ID is given, adding, “I arranged for the Council to replace the stolen doors immediately as it posed a danger to the community.”
