Whilst it has long been a ‘norm’ for residents and businesses in the Laudium area, to fall victim to crime, which has been very worrisome, as they continue to live in fear having sleepless nights, the added worry now, is that residents and businesses are being targeted over and over again, more so, within short spaces of time.
It is becoming increasingly evident that the local police either do not care to serve and protect the community, or do not have the capacity to curb the ongoing crime in the Laudium area, as residents remain frustrated with the lack of effective policing in the area. This follows another incident of a break-in into a business, twice within a few days of each other. This past Sunday, (Feb 6), the Laudium Sun received a report of a restaurant that was burgled in the early hours of the morning. However, the same restaurant was again targeted three days later, this past Wednesday (Feb 9).
Minesh Patel, the owner of Shayona Vegetarian Restaurant on 13th Avenue, Laudium, told the Laudium Sun that his restaurant was broken into at around 3:00am this past Sunday morning. He added, “I came to work on Sunday morning at around 8am. Before opening the door, I first disarmed the alarm like always, but it did not give a beeping sound, which it always did before. I found that strange, but nevertheless I unlocked the door and went into the shop. I was shocked to find that the place had been ransacked and realized that there had been a break in at my shop. There were some items scattered on the floor and then I noticed that a lot of the stock and portable equipment was missing. I just could not figure out how the thieves had entered as the windows and doors were not broken. Then, I noticed light coming into the shop from the roof, only then to realize that the thieves had cut the roof and ceiling to get into the shop. There must have been at least two of them to pass the items over. They stole a lot of things like our pressure cooker, mixer machine, work cellphone with the charger and R1500 cash that was in the till. They also disabled and damaged our alarm system so I had to replace it, which resulted in further expenses. I think the incident happened at about 3am because the security guard in the area said he saw some guys walking around at that time.”
Three days later, Minesh was back giving his story of a theft at his shop. However it was of another incident. This time it was about an incident that took place this past Wednesday, (Feb 9). The clearly frustrated restaurant owner told the Laudium Sun, “I opened my shop on Wednesday and left the lock and key together with other items I had in my hand, on the side, as I wanted to first fully open the doors. But, whilst busy opening the latch of the door, this one nyaope guy came past and grabbed the lock with the keys and also stole all the other items that were there and ran away. I just could not believe my eyes, he was so fast. These nyaopes sit outside our shops and watch our moves. They come begging for food and money and we give them as we feel them sorry. But, they don’t care for us. They just want to steal and make our lives miserable. I have opened a case with the police and I hope that they can arrest these thieves who break into our shops. The crime rate is getting out of hand in Laudium. Every second shop or house is getting broken into. My customers are not even safe because they are also being robbed. Our local police must do something to stop this crime in Laudium. They must increase patrols in the area, as a matter of urgency.”
