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Crime Reports
I will be posting some of the emails I have been receiving about the crime spree in Betty's. I'll post them as I get them; if anyone wants their names/erfs removed (or the story taken down) please contact me. You can find the Google Crime Map here, and the Google spreadsheet here.
- Details
- Written by Donn
- Parent Category: Crime
- Category: Crime Reports
- Hits: 2414
We purchased a home in beautiful Betty's Bay this year. Unfortunately, not long after taking occupation of our new home, we were robbed. This was in June 2015.
They stole our flat screen tv, cleaned out our freezer and even took the dog food. They then broke into our garage and stole all my husband’s power tools (about 12 ) and a full heavy duty tool chest. This while our alarm was going off.
The security company contacted us at 11h30 that night to inform us, and we immediately got into our car and headed for our house. On arrival at 01h00, we discovered that the security company had not even bothered to check that all windows etc. were closed, as the garage window and our lounge window was still unhooked and open.
Had we not driven to Betty's Bay immediately, I am positive my whole house would have been cleaned out. We have subsequently put in full burglar bars (not the silly clear ones) up over all windows, upgraded to microwave passives and had outside beams installed at a cost of R50 000,00. This money was allocated for the fixing up and painting up of our new home.
These burglars are not going to chase us out of Betty's Bay. We love it so much here, that we have decided to move permanently to Betty's Bay and commute every day rather.
- Details
- Written by Donn
- Parent Category: Crime
- Category: Crime Reports
- Hits: 2519
I would like to add our burglaries at 2335 Drivers Road to your database. We have had numerous attempted break-ins and two break-ins between 2012 and 2014. Our music centre, and flat screen TV, decoder was stolen on both occasions. We have good security, internal shutter guard and alarm system.
The burglaries occurred when the house was unoccupied. In 2014, the thieves climbed up onto our roof and accessed the lounge through a top window and wrenched the window and the shutter guard out of the cement with a crow bar. The alarm did not activate for some reason. They must have used the umbrella tactic to avoid detection.
The cost of repairing the window and shutter was R 10,000. That for a small TV worth R 3,000. We have not replaced any of these items for fear of being targets again. It is truly heartbreaking that we live in constant fear of being burgled, that we live like prisoners in our own homes and cannot enjoy the simple pleasure of living with our windows and doors open during the day on our own properties.
That we get blamed when burglaries occur on our own properties if we are not bolted in at all times. It is totally unacceptable that our entire community is held hostage to the criminal elements within our community. Thank you very much for taking steps to collate this information and bring this crime to the attention of the relevant people. It is very much appreciated.
- Details
- Written by Donn
- Parent Category: Crime
- Category: Crime Reports
- Hits: 2208
Thank you for addressing this important subject. I have been the victim of many crimes at my home in Betty's Bay (4384 Amaryllis Crescent) in the past 3 or 4 years. At least 5 or 6 break-in's with theft of electronics and other goods. The losses run into hundreds of thousands of Rands. The house is alarmed and also has electronic "beams" on the outside.
I had two break-ins last year while people were in the house. One break in occurred while guests were having a dinner party. Purses, wallets and cameras were stolen. One in which I lost a lot of very expensive camera and GPS gear. I was asleep upstairs at the time and the perpetrator removed a large glass pane from a sliding glass door to gain entry. All of this in a terrible storm with rain and hail. They have also removed entire windows, frame and all, to gain access.
I have also had my car broken into while in the driveway. Many reports to police and discussions with them have not recovered or resolved anything. Upgraded security measures have helped.
It may be time to active a neighborhood watch again. Or put a police sub-station in Betty's Bay. Or perhaps have the community pay for a roving patrol.
Gordon King,
4384 Amaryllis Crescent
- Details
- Written by Donn
- Parent Category: Crime
- Category: Crime Reports
- Hits: 2694
The crime situation has become untenable in Betty’s Bay. The more eastern parts of Betty’s Bay have also been targeted, especially the Plateau Road and Reed Road area in which – to my knowledge, at least eight burglaries occurred over the past six months. This include our house at 2445 Plateau Road which was burgled on 1 March at the height of the devastating fire which ravaged Betty’s Bay at the time.
The method of entry into my garage/workshop was brutal through the locked garage door and then the adjacent workshop door. The alarm was operational but through clever use of a sun umbrella, the sensor was covered and rendered ineffective. Both the garage and workshop doors had to be replaced at a cost of R14 000. In addition two bicycles were stolen, as were all my power tools, hand tools and petrol powered garden equipment. The total damage was close to R28 000. Insurance covered most of the cost but the shortfall was non-the-same R8000.
We are now worried about our safety when in the house as the methods used by the criminals are becoming increasingly brazen and brutal. The Betty’s Bay community is truly under siege at present.
Kind regards,
Dr Allan Heydorn
- Details
- Written by Donn
- Parent Category: Crime
- Category: Crime Reports
- Hits: 2739
Oupa Henry Pauw is die eienaar van erf 3460 in Anglers Rd. Sy kinders, die Willems en Pauw gesinne is huis gebruikers. Inbrake het al verskillende kere plaasgevind…vroeër jare duikpakke en duiktoerusting, verkykers, rugsakke en allerhande kleiner goed. Die laaste inbraak het 2 fietse “gekos”. Daar is ook gedurende die laaste maand petrol uit ‘n voertuig gesteel.
Tydens elke inbraak of betreding van die erf deur kwaaddoeners, moes ons van Stellenbosch ry en vensters of skuifdeure laat herstel. Daar is niks meer van groot waarde in ons huis nie, geen duiktoerusting, geen TV, ons neem nie meer skootrekenaars oor naweke nie… maar ons is ook nie meer heel ontspanne in die paradys nie!
Ons het nog nooit iets van die goedere teruggekry wat gesteel is nie!
Groete
- Details
- Written by Donn
- Parent Category: Crime
- Category: Crime Reports
- Hits: 2357
From a comment: They tried our top story window last night as the one night my security cameras were by accident switched off. Nemesia Road but luckily did not get in, just bent the frame of the aluminium window. This is the second time attempted burglary and it's like there is an informant tipping these thieves off. The security company just says more beams and can name suspects who have been in prison and are back to carry on as usual. Sad such a beautiful town would be spoil't by a few rotten deviants.
- Details
- Written by Donn
- Parent Category: Crime
- Category: Crime Reports
- Hits: 2780
Targets
- Electronics — TVs, laptops, phones, "computers" (Desktops? Unsure. Do they take all the wires and such?)
- Copper — Stripping all the pipes and taps outside.
- Petrol — They will damage cars to get into the tank.
- Generators
People are saying their neighbours have been robbed too, but they can't speak for them. Get those reports in, so we can see them.
Quotes
"Two days after I moved in and had just had the burglar alarm installed, the only window that did not have burglar bars was neatly removed from the window frame and my flat screen TV and computer was stolen whilst we were asleep. The alarm installed by Sandown Bay Security that same night was "not activated." — Vivian Stoffels
I'd like to know what kind of window that was? Wooden frame or Aluminium? Was the frame broken? How was it done?
"They seem to be above the law and are known to the security companies and police apparently. Why is nothing being done about this? Are the police involved somehow possibly?" — Joe Pretorius
This seems to be an oft-repeated idea. I have no other information, not do I wish to speculate.
"This despite burglar bars and armed response. The armed response arrived 6 minutes after the alarm was activated but the TV and laptops had already gone." — James Pickering
It sounds like these burglars have good knowledge about local conditions.
- Details
- Written by Donn
- Parent Category: Crime
- Category: Crime Reports
- Hits: 2556
Crime Reports — Betsie Treurnicht
Nivenia 3762 and Crassula Hall
Hi, thanks for doing this. We are planning to join the BBRA soon, just need to add my story so that the map can be updated. We have a house in Nivenia Rd, and we are definitely under-represented on the map. Will forward the details to neighbours as soon as I have their emails.
I was robbed in my house in September 2014 (Nivenia 3762), at 5 am. They came in through the kitchen window, grabbed my camera, handbag, toolbox and a coolbag (which they emptied outside to carry their loot), and when they moved towards the staircase, the alarm thankfully went off. Security (Safe) was there within minutes, and had been a tremendous help the rest of the week. The same can’t be said of the police, unfortunately. I know that to them this was just another burglary, but it was very traumatic for me and my friends staying there. At 7 am, two yawning policeman turned up, asking if anyone was hurt, after which they seemed to lose interest. They said I should open a case, for insurance purposes. Well I wasn’t insured, and that was not the reason why I wanted to open a case. I hoped that something would be done to stop this crime wave in Bettys Bay.
During that week (first week of September 2014), I was attending a Convention in Bettys Bay, with participants from all over the country. A few of them had their cars broken into at guest houses. At the venue at Crassula Hall, we had to call a private security company twice, as we spotted individuals hanging around in the parking lot. This year we will be there again, from 31 Aug to 4 Sept. The 2 ladies staying with me last year, are not coming back. Bettys Bay has a reputation now.
This will be the 6th Convention at Bettys Bay, but something has definitely changed the last 2 years. Before I never even switched on the alarm at night, and we had no cars or houses broken into. People from Cape Town, Pietermaritzburg, Durban, Johannesburg and Pretoria were raving about the scenery and safety, and the fact that we can have a convention and workshops, using expensive tools, while leaving the hall’s doors open, without being robbed. Not the case any more.
Okay, this is more than what you asked for, but I am still so outraged at the cheek of these individuals, coming into my house while I’m there, and taking what doesn’t belong to them. Thanks for trying to change things for Bettys Bay.
Best Regards
Betsie Treurnicht
