Walvis Bay residents warned against spike in home and business burglaries

The Namibian Police in the Erongo region urged residents this week against a surge in burglaries both at residences and businesses.
The good news, according to Erongo Police community affairs officer, Sergeant Ileni Shapumba, is that several arrests were made over the weekend due to vigilant residents who saw crimes in the process of being committed who then phoned the police who reacted promptly. Sergeant Shapumba praised the vigilant behaviour of residents
and added this is a powerful way of community policing. “The public is our ears and our eyes. We are the protector,” explained Shapumba. Although the patrolling of neighbourhoods are the main activities of community policing, Shapumba explained, residents can be vigilant at home by observing their neighbourhood surroundings and report suspicious movements and behaviour to the police, neighbours or victims. According to Sergeant Shapumba the members of the community whose information led to the arrests over the weekend were willing to co-operate with the police by providing statements and willingness to testify in a criminal court against the suspects. “Criminals know people are reluctant to get involved and to go through the processes of providing statements or appear as witnesses in a criminal court. In this way the criminals control us, but if we co-operate the tides are turned,” it was explained. The public is also cautioned against activities that promote criminality. The most prominent examples are people buying stolen goods and people who don’t take care to adequately secure their homes and businesses against burglars and armed robbers. “If we buy stolen items we keep the market alive for stolen goods and equally we fuel crimes like burglaries, armed robbery and theft. Even those who buy stolen goods can be victims too, as the thieves break into their houses and into their businesses too, to steal valuable items that they sell,” explained Shapumba. He mentioned the Namibian Police are aware of individuals in the Walvis Bay community who often turn to thieves and robbers, to steal items for them they need or want.
“Traditionally burglaries, robberies and theft escalate towards year end as criminals too need money, the same as people who earn their money in an honest way. It is this time of the year that people need to take extra care and be more vigilant in spotting suspicious movement and activities.