Durban — Vagrants are believed to be behind a spate of copper theft and housebreaking incidents in Phoenix, north of Durban.
KZN VIP Protection Services spokesperson Gareth Naidoo said Phoenix had been plagued by copper theft and house break-ins carried out by vagrants.
As a result, on Tuesday joint operations between metro police, the Phoenix SAPS, Durban Solid Waste, eThekwini Municipality, KZN VIP Protection Services and Blue Security led teams to a number of Phoenix vagrant (amaphara) camps that shelter those involved in criminal activities or drug-related incidents.
“This operation will continue in the Phoenix area as the copper theft and violent attacks have been noted and are a growing concern due to suspects who are also drug users,” Naidoo said.
“Suspects steal almost anything from homes –copper pipes, water meters, plants from your garden, pets, and almost anything of value –which is believed to be sold or traded for their daily fix.”
Naidoo thanked all those who had continued to support the initiative and said they appreciated the community’s backing.
Meanwhile, earlier this week Fidelity ADT warned eThekwini residents that solar panels were being targeted, with the northern areas such as Phoenix and Verulam being the hardest hit.
Fidelity ADT marketing and communications head Charnel Hattingh said that as criminals continued to shift and change their patterns and behaviour, it was essential that homeowners kept up with trends and better ways to secure their homes.
Hattingh said that, in line with the energy crisis, more homeowners were investing in energy-savvy products which had become appealing to criminals. A new trend was emerging where criminals were targeting solar panels.
“Over the past few weeks, we have received reports of solar panels being stolen from properties, typically during the day while homeowners are at work.
“The Phoenix and Verulam areas have been particularly hard-hit, with reports of at least one solar panel being stolen every week,” Hattingh said.
To stay one step ahead of opportunistic criminals, she said, it was important to make your home less of a target by making it as hard as possible for criminals to successfully carry out their plans on your property.
“Remain vigilant and do not leave anything to chance. If you see anything suspicious in or around your neighbourhood, report it immediately to your private security company and local SAPS,” Hattingh added.
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