Crime has been a big problem during the National Arts Festival, according to many visitors, although the police and a local security company say it's not as bad as it has been in the past.
Crime has been a big problem during the National Arts Festival, according to many visitors, although the police and a local security company say it's not as bad as it has been in the past.
Church Square stall owner Mahmoud Alashuar, from Johannesburg, said he caught a person trying to run away with one of the blankets he sells, on Monday. After catching the thief he called the police, but told them he doesn't want to open a case against the person because he can't afford to come back here at a later stage for the court case.
"Johannesburg is far," Alashuar said. He also complained that people he employed from Grahamstown have stolen from him and give goods to their friends and families without charging them.
Another stall owner from Johannesburg, Paul Ilunga, said people have stolen his things, mostly at night. In another incident, Grocott's Mail reporter Thembani Onceya was also almost robbed of his laptop on Tuesday in Extension 9 on his way home from town.
"A group of about 10 boys tried to grab my laptop but I fought back and managed to run home safely. They didn't take anything from me," Onceya said.
Despite these, and a host of other crime stories that newspaper staff have heard recently, two prominent groups responsible for safety in Grahamstown don't seem to feel that it's been a problem. In a telephone interview with police spokesperson Captain Mali Govender on Wednesday, she said crime has definitely decreased during this year's Festival.
She said no serious cases have been reported to them so far and bringing extra police into town has played a vital role. Cases that have been reported to the police are mainly theft, robbery and property-related, she said.
There are those certain things that we cannot prevent, but overall crime is much better this year compared to last year. Hi-Tec security company systems manager Kenny Knoetze also said crime hasn't been that bad since the Festival started.
"Cases that Hi-Tec have attended to are mainly house and laptop robbery," he said. From Saturday it has been quiet but there have been a number of pickpocketing incidents in Church Square – about four or five cases were reported there.
He also said two attempts of robbery were reported at the Village Green, but they failed because security is very tight in that area. Robberies were also reported at the 1820 Settlers' Monument and in New Street.
Knoetze said they'd been alerted of about two incidents of wallets being stolen during shows at the Monument and two cases of robbery were reported on Wednesday evening in New Street and wallets were taken.
He praised police visibility and said so far crime is much better than last year. However, he warned that crime could still pick up this weekend because it's the closing of the Festival.
