- Crime in Cape Town’s City Bowl has increased, with a notable rise in common robberies and vehicle theft.
- Cape Town Central Station ranked top nationally for serious crime, as reported by the latest crime statistics.
- Police are stepping up efforts to curb crime with daily operations and collaborations with security teams in key hotspot areas.
Common robberies and theft out of vehicles in the City Bowl remain a concern and police say they are committed to fighting crime in the area.
Common robbery cases reported at the Cape Town Central Police Station increased from 254 in April to June last year to 307 over the same period this year. Theft out of or from vehicles increased from 616 to 627 over the same period.
This is according to national crime statistics for the period between April and June 2024 released by Police Minister Senzo Mchunu recently.
The station ranked top nationally in the 17-community reported serious crime category with 2 765 cases last year, compared to 2 958 this year.
Property-related crime increased from 782 to 819, while other serious crimes surged from 1 354 to 1 424.
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Drug-related crime spiked from 324 to 999 cases.
On a more positive note, crime detected as a result of police action saw a massive spike from 361 to 1 033 cases.
Brig Gerda van Niekerk, Cape Town Central Station Commander, says theft out of motor vehicles takes place in all six sectors (covered by the station) and added there is no specific hotspot.
“There are two main reasons for this high number of thefts out of motor vehicles in Cape Town. First is the number of vehicles that enter the city daily and second, the demographics of the residential areas. Most vehicles are parked on the road because of the lack of parking inside residential premises.”
Jewellery, cellphones
Van Niekerk adds that grabbing cellphones and jewellery from victims are some of the common robberies.
“This crime occurs in the transport hub where people visit the city daily and outside liquor premises where patrons visit these liquor premises, especially over weekends. Cape Town has over 800 liquor premises.”
The officer says police are committed to bringing perpetrators to book.
“Daily operations are conducted in hot spots areas like Strand and Long streets, especially at night. Partnerships with other roleplayers like law enforcement and CCID (Central City Improvement District) security are deployed in these hotspot areas to curb these crimes.”
According to Van Niekerk, one of the biggest contributors to crime is drug abuse. “Numerous arrests were made during operations in the hotspots for robbery, as a preventative measure. Cape Town central police have also concentrated on arrests for dangerous weapons as a preventative measure for robbery with a weapon other than a firearm.”
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“Cape Town experiences a daily increase in people living on the streets with suspected perpetrators living among them. There are ongoing efforts from the City to place these people in safe spaces. The police will continue with operations in hotspots and identifying suspects.”
Marc Truss, chair of the Cape Town Central Community Policing Forum (CPF), says common robbery and theft out of vehicles occur mainly in the Golden Acre, at the Station deck, the Grand Parade and along Strand Street. “Become aware of your surroundings. When you sit in the restaurant don’t leave your cellphone on the table. Times are hard and people are desperate, so they will go to extreme measures to perpetrate opportunistic crime.”
Sea Point Police Station was ranked third in the province for theft out of or from motor vehicles.
Green Point events
Capt Cyril Dicks, communications officer at the station, says these incidents commonly occur in the Green Point area and are most prominent on event days at the Cape Town Stadium.
“People leave their valuables visibly in the car and walk away. You must remember you are away from your vehicle for long hours. If you put valuables in the boot, do so beforehand, not when you arrive at the venue. Rather leave your valuables at home.”
Meanwhile, the Western Cape Provincial Community Police Board (WCPCPB) has welcomed the recent signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between police, the Western Cape Government and the City of Cape Town.
The MOU seeks to encourage more collaborative policing.
Justin Kumlehn, WCPCPB public relations officer, says the board “fully supports” this MOU and believes it will lead to meaningful improvements in public safety and community well-being.
“By fostering a collaborative approach and maximizing the collective strengths of all parties involved, we are taking a significant step toward a safer and more secure future for the Western Cape. We look forward to the positive impact of this collaboration and its benefits for our communities.”
