The latest crime numbers released for Brackenfell, presents a mixed bag of results. Contact crimes showed a 6% decrease, property crimes a slight increase of 0.7%, and commercial crime a 5.2% increase – the highest it has been since 2019.
The third quarter crime statistics recently released indicates crimes reported between October and December 2023.
In stark contrast to neighbouring hot-spot crime area Kraaifontein, only one murder was reported during this time, seven sexual offences, 10 assaults with the intention to do grievous bodily harm, 47 common assaults, 10 common robberies and 17 aggregated robberies. One car and one truck were hijacked, two homes robberies took place and two business robberies.
No cases of attempted murder were reported. Vehicle theft decreased with 11 cases to 21, and theft from motor vehicles increased with 10 cases to 65 reported cases.
Inasmuch as home burglaries are concerned, a welcome decrease was noted. In total, 33 home burglaries were reported – seven counts less than the previous year – and the lowest it’s been since 2019 for the same quarter.
A total of 27 business burglaries were reported over the same period, as oppose to 18 in the previous year. Two home robberies and two business robberies were reported over the three-month period. Police action resulted in the detection of 52 drunk driver and 11 drug related crimes. Thirty cases of malicious damage to property were reported and 56 cases of shoplifting.
Unfortunately, difficult to prevent, commercial crime is rising in South Africa due to tough economic conditions, but vigilance by would be victims can reduce the success rate of the crime.
A total of 6 561 commercial crimes were reported in the Western Cape, 159 thereof in Brackenfell between October and December 2023. This number as much as doubled from what it was in 2019.
Economical impact
According to Western Cape police forensic investigator WO Stephan Wolfaardt, commercial crime has a negative impact on the economy which is detrimental to the free-market system and leads to individual hardships.
“Although preventative measures, such as awareness campaigns, are initiated by leading institutions the trends utilised by fraudsters similarly adapt accordingly,” he says. The latest trends which have stood out over the rising number of reported fraud cases include card cloning through skimming methods, email interception, impersonation of bank staff, misrepresentations to advertisements, and forged proof of payments.
“With email interceptions, fraudsters hack software which plugs into an email server of an individual or company.
“A person will request a quotation, to which the suspect will intercept the email of the recipient, edit the banking details, and forward the quotation to the person requesting it. Money is then paid into the incorrect bank account.”
In other cases fraudsters contact their victims pretending to be fraud agents from their banks.
“They prompt you to go into your banking application to be assisted and then provide instructions to the victim, which leads gaining access to the bank account and money stolen without the knowledge of the victim.” Advertising misrepresentations occur when fraudsters respond to advertisements wanting to purchase the item and send a friend to collect it.
“The fraudster will then send a forged proof of payment and the seller will hand over the item. Only later is it discovered that the payment was forged. Fraudsters use Uber drivers they pay cash, and have the items delivered at undisclosed locations; so police can’t trace them.”
Wolfaardt warns the public to be on the look out for the danger signs, and to immediately contact the police if you suspect a fraudster on the lure.
