‘We must always remain vigilant’

SHEVANDRA Ramsaroop, a senior reaction unit manager for Blue Security, said crime did not stay in one area, but fluctuated.

“What makes it move is increased visibility and awareness. We can’t stop crime but we can prevent it,” he said.

“In Westville,a lot of initiatives have been introduced such as community watches, CCTV, social media groups, increased patrolling. All of this adds up to a much higher visibility, which acts as a deterrent.

“There will always be petty crime – muggings, theft from vehicles. That’s in every area,” said Ramsaroop. “The real problem is syndicated, organised crime. These guys take things very seriously. They watch, they learn patterns and come heavily armed. They can come into a home and be out of there in minutes. So what it really comes down to, is time and how can you slow them down.

“Patrolling and neighbourhood watches, communication on social media all help,” he said. “Organised crime syndicates are well aware of which areas seem vulnerable. The more activity and initiatives they see, the less likely they are to target you.”

Asked why crimes sometimes seemed to occur in cycles, he said, “You have to be consistent. You cannot just do it for a short while.You have to keep up the vigilance. It’s a continuous fight. So sometimes people get involved and measures are taken, so crime stops, but when it seems like people are no longer on guard, it might start again. But the fight never ends.”

Ramsaroop has worked as a reaction officer for 10 years at Blue Security and has been in the security industry for more than 18 years. “I’ve seen a lot, I’ve been through all sorts of things and I can tell you, in the end, it comes to timing. Electric fences, laser beams, high fences, electronic gadgets, all of these measures are designed to give you enough time to react, defend yourself, call for help.”

He added: “The best way anyone can help is to keep reporting it. If you see anything, report it. Communicate, tell people about it. That way we remain alert, aware and we show these criminals that we are not vulnerable. We are watching and we will defend ourselves.”