- Crime in the Cape Town CBD dropped by over 50% between November and January, according to quarterly statistics, thanks to targeted interventions by the Cape Town Central City Improvement District (CCID).
- The CCID’s efforts, which include deploying 323 Public Safety Officers and running focused crime-prevention operations, led to significant reductions in crimes like robbery, theft, and shoplifting.
- Despite the success, petty crimes such as pickpocketing and theft from parked vehicles remain concerns, and the CCID’s safety measures will continue throughout the year.
There’s been a significant drop in crime in the Cape Town CBD between November last year and January this year, thanks to crime interventions by the Cape Town Central City Improvement District (CCID).
Crimes such as robbery and theft decreased by more than 50% between 15 November and 15 January, compared to the same period last year.
This according to quarterly crime statistics released by Minister of Police Senzo Mchunu late last month.
The CCID provides security services in a 1,6 km² geographical footprint in the CBD, complementing the work of the police, Law Enforcement and CCID-funded law-enforcement officers. It has 323 Public Safety Officers (PSOs) who are deployed in shifts in the CBD throughout the year.
Jurie Bruwer, manager of the CCID’s safety and security department, said: “The number of reported crime-related incidents dropped by 34%, from 406 incidents to 267 with the number of arrests secured by the CCID in the CBD in this period increasing from 110 to 141.”
She added there was a decrease in shoplifting (by 80%), common robbery (by 58%); business break-ins and general theft (both by 50%) and theft out of motor vehicles (by 27%).
According to Bruwer, the reduction can be attributed to the organisation’s crime-prevention preparedness plan.
She explained the plan entailed identifying the main areas visitors to the Cape Town CBD were most likely to frequent and redeploying their Public Safety Officers to concentrate on these areas.
“We then rolled targeted security awareness campaigns out on these routes and implemented additional crime-prevention operations (other than our routine operations) with our partners.
Bruwer says the purpose of the festive season action plan was to:
- identify potential risks that could affect public safety and security in the CBD;
- initiate measures to mitigate these through appropriate operations;
- initiate collaborative operations with primary partners to ensure public spaces in the CBD remained safe.
“It’s our responsibility to ensure visitors, residents and people who do business and work in the Cape Town CBD feel safe and secure.”
Bruwer explained that petty crimes such as pickpocketing, cellphone theft, chain snatching and thefts out of parked vehicles remained a concern.
He said these safety plans will continue throughout the year. “We have the same approach throughout the year to ensure our Public Safety Officers do visible patrols. They are assisted by mobile patrols with contracted law-enforcement officers. Throughout the year CCID Safety and Security has planned ad hoc crime-prevention operations with police and law enforcement.”
To report any crime-related matters, WhatsApp or contact the control centre on 082 415 7127.
