Police urge businesses to tighten security
Pini Bothoko | Friday November 6, 2020 15:40
The call came after reports of break-ins in private clinics that operate for 24hrs around Gaborone.
A gang of four persons driving a white Toyota Vitz, armed with knives and guns is reported to be targeting clinics that operate 24 hours at night, attacking doctors as well as their patients. It also uses force to steal money, mobile phones and electronic devices to mention but a few.
The said gang is said to have recently attacked and robbed Kalafi clinic employees and patients at Village in Gaborone. It is alleged that then they assaulted a doctor and a mother with a toddler.
“COVID-19 cases are not the only things that are on the rise in the medical health sector as the year comes to a close. Not only are health officials tackling a pandemic and numerous other underlying health issues experienced by the general public, but an increase in robberies, specifically targeted at clinics.
The swindlers target unsuspecting clinics at night as a group of four, driving a white Toyota Vitz, armed with knives and guns,” said the owner of the affected clinic.
Other victims of these horrible ordeals described the criminals as tall and lean with their main aim being to strictly acquire cash, mobile phones and any electronic devices they may get their hands on.
Victims of the first wave of the assailants’ attack stated that the criminals were malicious in their proceedings as they assaulted not only the doctor on duty, but a mother with her infant in her arms and aggressively kicked staff wanting to know where they kept their funds and where the safe was even though the staff insisted profusely that there was no safe kept on the premise.
They further went on to explain that when they tried contacting the nearest police station in Tlokweng, their number was not going through and when they finally received assistance from the police, they requested that they, as victims must make their way to the Central Police station under the state of shock and trauma they were in and give a police report.
“We felt abandoned and in disbelief that this was asked of us, but eventually the police came and took the incident report hours later,” said one of the victims.
The victims in the second wave stated that the delinquents were so swift in the way they executed their heist with some reporting to have not comprehended what had just transpired because it all happened in a flash.
“As time goes by, we ask all clinics which operate until late nights to stay vigilant as the assailants seem to be targeting clinics within the same proximity of each other as it is not long now before they strike again,” said a director of a clinic that was also targeted recently.
Central Police Station Commander, Superintendent Mothusi Phadi called on the business community to install security devices in their valuable properties.
He also stated that the business community should prioritise security, stating that whenever an expensive commodity was being put in place, security measures should be considered to guard against any theft.
“I am pleading with the business community to help us (police) to fight crime by being security conscious. Failure to put security devices on the property proved that the business community was not taking issues of security seriously,” he said. Phadi further pleaded with the business community not to keep huge amounts of money on their premises to avoid being targeted by criminals. He said they could do so by depositing the money in the banks throughout the day.
He also called on the business community to tighten the security of their businesses through the use of CCTV cameras in order to monitor people’s movements in and around their businesses.
The police boss said crime is high in Gaborone because people have flocked the city with high expectations of getting employment opportunities and turn to crime when their dreams are shattered.