A decision was made by the OBSID Management to install security cameras along the Lower Main Road. The cameras became operational on 15 September 2014. Since the installation of the cameras were have had a numerous successes. 6 arrests have been made from incidents observed on the cameras. 5 of these arrests were for drug related crimes and the other arrest was for housebreaking. The cameras have also assisted with reducing the number of the suspicious vehicles in the area and providing information on motor vehicle accidents. The number plates of suspicious vehicles have been noted and the information has been passed on to SAPS Woodstock for monitoring. Footage has also been obtained of liquor being consumed illegally outside clubs and this information will be forwarded to the Liquor Board so that appropriate action can be taken against clubs that are not complying to the liquor by-laws. SAPS has made use of the Surveillance Room to identify possible drug deals and suspects to search.
Limited patrol staff is a concern and it is a problem to adequately cover the residential areas away from Lower Main Road. The deployment of OBSID Security Staff including vehicles, foot patrollers and the mobile kiosk is done on a daily basis and is based on crime reports received from SAPS. Staff are deployed to cover hotspot areas and provide visibility in these areas. Regular joint operations with OBSID and SAPS are done to prevent crime from taking place in the area. Weekly after hours operations are also undertaken with OBSID and Wynberg Law Enforcement to deal with the homelessness problem in Observatory. Kenneth Roman, the OBSID Fieldworker is also present at these operations. Major steps have been taken to securing the premises at No. 1, 3 and 5 Drake Street where there have been problems with homeless people sleeping on the property. Razor wire fences have been installed and no homeless people were found at these properties during the after hours operation this week. On our first after hours operation 29 homeless people were found in the OBSID area. At the operation the following week, only 20 homeless people were found. We plan to tackle the drug problem by collecting information on drug deals and drug dealers from the cameras. This information is then forwarded to SAPS. Suspects are being identified and SAPS are following up on information received from OSBID. The cameras have assisted by decreasing open drug trade on Lower Main Road. The cameras are also monitoring drug hiding places and identifying vehicles used for transporting drugs. Woodstock SAPS is working closely with OBSID on this matter. We are having a problem with not reporting incidents immediately to the OBSID Control and SAPS. Often incidents are only reported days later and this can affect the deployment of staff and focus of joint operations in the OBSID area. Please remind residents to please report incidents to the Control Room as soon as possible. Kind Regards On Fri, Oct 31, 2014 at 3:09 PM, Gazarow <[email protected]> wrote: > well said Janet!! > > > On Friday, 31 October 2014 08:27:29 UTC+2, janet wrote: >> >> Dear OBSID and the Observatory Community >> >> I was so shocked to hear of the attack on Barrie Terblanche's mom in >> Oxford Road a few weeks ago and now her untimely death following the attack. >> If this doesn't galvanise us as a community what will? >> >> I, unfortunately, will not be able to be at the OBSID AGM on Saturday, >> but would like to request that this recent attack and the crime/security >> situation in OBS be addressed as an agenda item. (Hopefully it's already >> there?) >> >> My questions for the meeting are: >> 1. What is the OBSID response in light of this recent attack? (It's not >> good enough for OBSID to send condolences. I want to know what strategic >> and practical steps will be taken to improve the crime situation in the >> residential streets of Observatory, as well as on Lower Main. We are all >> vulnerable.) >> 2. What is the current situation wrt OBSID patrol-men in the >> neighbourhood? How do we increase the number of patrol men? >> 3. How are the major role-players in the fight against crime and drugs >> esp in OBS going to be co-opted? (esp SAPSPolice, Metro police, Metro Rail, >> Business owners) >> 4. Finally, I want to hear a plan to tackle the drug problem in OBS. >> >> I choose to live in in Observatory so that I can walk down the road to a >> friend/s at anytime of the day and into the early evening hours. I want to >> be able to walk to the Spar/library/park/cafe with my kids. I don't want to >> live like a prisoner in my home. >> >> It's time to take the streets back. >> >> Thanks >> Janet >> >> >> >> >> >> >> -- Kind regards Ursula van Stavel Chief Operating Officer Observatory Improvement District OBSID) Tel. 021 4487090 Fax :0866394005 Cell: 0813454285 Address: 41 Station Road,Observatory,Cape Town ,7925 -- OPS [Obsid Public Safety] - 24/7 control room ---------------------------------------------- 021-447-1066 072-063-1653 For all emergencies please dial 10111 ---------------------------------------------- ONW: 082 081 0142, ONW email: [email protected] WEB: www.obswatch.org.za ---------------------------------------------- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups The Observatory Neighbourhood watch group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at https://groups.google.com/d/forum/obsnw?hl=en --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "The Observatory Neighbourhood watch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
