Citizens should be careful over the Christmas holidays

Dear Editor,

The Christmas holidays are here and there will be hustle and bustle as citizens go about their usual shopping for this festive occasion. While this period should be one of joy and gladness it is also a fact that criminal elements are already on the prowl waiting to cash in on some hapless soul in their pursuit of happiness.

Firstly, one should be aware of one’s surroundings and call the police at the sight of strange or shady characters in the community. People should be on the lookout for groups of men in vehicles, be they private or hire, and do the right thing by informing the police of the actions of these individuals. Citizens should not open their doors to strange men who come on the pretext that they’ve lost their way and need some assistance to find a person in the community or are servicemen out to fix some malfunction at their homes.

Residents should get into the habit of memorising vehicle numbers. The most frequently used method for armed robbery these days is a motor vehicle, so taking down the numbers would help in tracking down the criminals.

Lastly, everyone should be their brother’s keeper, and if they see their neighbour being attacked by bandits they should call the police, because the victim’s phone might have been disconnected by the bandits.

Yours faithfully,
Neil Adams