HARTENBOS NEWS - “On a daily basis, three to four cyber-related crimes are reported at our station.” So say members of the Da Gamaskop Police during a CPF meeting held at Hartenbos Primary School last night, 26 August.

Community members of the Sector 2 areas in and around Mossel Bay that the Da Gamaskop Police Station serves attended the meeting, such as Hartenbos, D’Almeida, Sonskyn Valley, Voorbaai, the Diaz Beach area and Bayview.

Da Gamaskop’s police officials, station commander Colonel Thembisile Senaya, head of detectives Lieutenant Colonel Maria Gerber, head of visible policing Lieutenant Colonel Edy Williams and Section 2 commander Warrant Officer Hein Meyer, told the group cybercrimes have become a big concern for the police, particularly in Hartenbos.

Gerber says older people tend to fall prey to and are often the targets of internet scams because of their unfamiliarity with the current digital and technology-driven way of life. 

“You may click on a link attached to a message stating your bank account is in danger, or there’s an error you need to fix - we click out of panic or stress, or because we are unaware of this scam,” she said.

According to the police, fraudsters also impersonate police officers or banking officials. 

“They might tell you that you’ll be arrested if you don’t pay a certain amount of money into an account. The real police will never, ever ask you to do that,” they said.

Additionally, social media scams such as someone impersonating a police officer on Facebook and asking for donations to be made to the SAPS are just as frequent. Gerber stressed that the SAPS would not ask for such donations, nor are they allowed to.

She added that older women have also become victims of scammers using romantic tactics and fake identities in order to steal money, commonly known as ‘catfishing’. 

She advised them to rather go directly to their bank and have an official investigate the claim, instead of immediately clicking on a suspicious link.

Importance of neighbourhood watch groups

As for other crimes, such as robberies or murders, the Da Gamaskop Police say they receive much-needed and much-appreciated help from the neighbourhood watch groups that patrol the Sector 2 areas.

Because the geographical scope of Sector 2 is quite large, the police rely on members of the community to be their eyes and ears, as that is how they are notified of the crimes, as well as potential crimes, to which they need to respond.

Although the various neighbourhood watch groups are active in their communities, the station has pleaded for more people to join.

Station commander Colonel Thembisile Senaya, Tebogho Motloung of the Da Gamaskop CPF, Glenwill Kampher, deputy chairperson of the Sonskynvallei Neighbourhood Watch, chairperson Eben Roets, and Section 2 commander Warrant Officer Hein Meyer. Photo: Gabriélla Siebritz

Hannelie Marais of the Da Gamaskop CPF says that neighbourhood watch groups offer valuable support to victims of crime, especially because the station itself is located in D’Almeida. 

Therefore, it might take a few extra minutes for the police to reach a crime scene in Hartenbos, for example, but the Hartenbos Neighbourhood Watch can respond much quicker and offer assistance in the meantime.

Senaya told the present community members that joining a neighbourhood watch allows for people to take back their communities. 

“We must not surrender to the skollies and the phara-pharas,” she said. 

“It’s so wonderful to see such a network of community safety. We want to create lasting partnerships with the police, neighbourhood watch groups, the CPF and the Community in Blue groups.”

Thank you

Community members also had the opportunity to raise any questions or concerns with the police during last night’s meeting.

One man, Gerrett Bakker, who had moved to Hartenbos from Outdshoorn, praised the Da Gamaskop Police for their swift and professional response when items were stolen from his home some time ago. 

He spoke of the neighbourhood watch’s response, as well as the quick response time of the forensic team and detectives. “It was absolutely fantastic to see. Thank you very much to the police,” he said. 

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