G/West crime on the decline

Lekopanye Mooketsi | Tuesday May 6, 2014 15:34

Superintendent Agreement Mapeu said in an interview that the rate of these types of crime has gone down in recent times.

“Although these crimes still occur, they are not as frequent as they used to be,” he said.

“Rape cases are, in fact, now rare,” he said, noting that; “when the club was still operating, people would always loiter around the shopping complex and end up planning crimes.”

Mapeu said the reduction in crimes was also attributable to police vigilance revealing that they have introduced new crime prevention strategies.

“We have introduced bicycle patrols targeting crime prone areas.

We have also introduced crime response patrol teams who attend to crime scenes especially at night. The patrol teams respond immediately to crime scenes,” he said.

Mapeu added that there was also a special task force that targets robbers and vehicle theft.

Also, the police have also introduced patrol officers who conduct house-to-house campaigns.

“We have realised that some criminals target homes whose owners have left for work during the day. 

Other criminals pose as officials from utilities like Water Utilities and Botswana Power Corporation.

“Such people end up stealing household goods. The patrol officers educate members of the community about crime prevention initiatives,” he said.

Gaborone West police are also collaborating with businesspeople, churches and crime prevention committees, holding monthly meetings to develop crime prevention strategies.