Page 10 - Intra Muros May 2024

ESTATE NEWS

SECURITY IN AND AROUND

SILVER LAKES

esidents of the Silver Lakes Golf
& Wildlife Estate are fortunate PROPOSED GREATER LAKES CUP LOCATION
Rto reside in a safe and secure
environment. Kids can play outside,
property can be left unattended, you can
take long walks without constantly looking
over your shoulder and feeling afraid that
you might be robbed at any time… This is
the reality of living in an estate.

When leaving the estate, however,
another set of rules apply. Crimes such
as armed robberies, pickpocketing (car
keys stolen from shoppers to steal motor
vehicles), common robberies and petty
theft are prevalent outside the boundaries
of our estate.

And there is another ugly truth taking place
outside our boundaries. Our domestic
workers, gardeners and other employees
likely walk to work. They are exposed to This initiative was started several years sustainable funding from all role players in
ruthless criminals on a regular basis. ago and has grown into a very successful the vicinity.
intervention.
On Wednesday, 10 April 2024, members The Greater Lakes Community Upliftment
of the Lakes Security Forum (including Currently, the initiative relies on assistance Precinct (CUP) initiative, recently approved by
members from Silver Lakes) responded to from volunteers, security companies, the City Council, would be the perfect vehicle
assist in searching for suspects involved in estates, businesses and individuals. Silver to drive this project. Plans are underway to
the armed robbery of a person’s bicycle Lakes HOA contributes and supports this generate long-term sustainable funding, but
in the Hazeldean area. The victim was initiative, which needs to keep growing. this will require community support.
stabbed with a knife.
Priorities for the short to medium Economies of scale are what’s needed to
As usual, the response for assistance term are as follows: ensure much more security, maintenance and
was amazing. Even a Bidvest Protea Coin • Radio communication network beautification of our public spaces.
(also our estate security service provider) • Community group
helicopter participated in the search. • Expanding the Automatic Number Plate The Lakes Security Forum has assisted in
Hours were spent combing the area Recognition camera network effecting arrests or initiated more than 400
without success. A gruesome discovery • Deployment of a drone arrests just this year. Imagine a Lakes area
was made when the body of a security without such an initiative.
officer, still dressed in his uniform, was A drone project supported by the Silver
found. It is believed that he was also Lakes HOA will commence before the end Watch this space for more information to
robbed of his bicycle earlier during the of April. A thermal equipped drone will follow, or visit: https://chat.whatsapp.com/
day and stabbed to death. Numerous be operational at random times and will LNeMiLPBoW7LfsxT5eOxBp
other incidents of workers robbed of their concentrate on crime hotspots, identified
valuables, either on their way to or from preventive patrol routes and joint crime *As I was busy writing this article, another
work, occur in the area. prevention operations. It will also be used bicycle robbery had just occurred. Suspects were
for emergency response. confronted by one of the members, resulting in a
Estates enjoy relative safety, thanks to all pursuit taking place, again in the same area. Air
the measures that are in place to curb The initial three to four months will serve support was again made available to assist us.
crime. That leaves the surrounding public as a Proof of Concept to assist in motivating
spaces at risk. This is where the Lakes for long-term support for funding. To make Danie Basson
Security Forum steps in. the project permanent, we will need Security Manager

8 | INTRAMUROS MAY 2024