|
65 arrests in Grahamstown
02/07/2007 19:44 - (SA)
Grahamstown - A total of 65 arrests have been made since the start of the National Arts Festival, Grahamstown police said on Monday.
This was "far less than expected", especially as the end of the month coincided with the start of the Festival, Grocott's Mail reported.
The crimes included vehicle robberies, cellphone thefts, handbag snatches, possession of illegal substances, and arrests for drunk-and-disorderly behaviour, said Grahamstown police spokesperson Milanda Coetzer.
On Sunday, police also made an arrest for "public indecency". According to Coetzer, the police found a man and a woman, "who were having sex in the Botanical Gardens, even in the bitter coldness of the night".
According to police, most of these incidents were "not reported as cases". Victims were reluctant to lay charges because they were only there for the Festival, and did not want to return to Grahamstown to be a witness in a court case that could take as long as six months to complete.
Breakthrough
A breakthrough came for the police on Friday when they arrested a man who was wanted for four crimes.
According to Coetzer, this man had allegedly broken into a vehicle parked on Beaufort Street, right across from the police department, and hid underneath the vehicle when the owner of the vehicle approached. The owner, a Settlers Hospital employee, beat the suspect with his fists.
The police arrested the bloodied man, who was taken to the hospital for treatment.
Rhodes' campus was also not a crime-free zone. According to Coetzer, a bakkie was stolen outside one of the residences.
Festival-goers were encouraged not to leave any valuables in their cars, especially within sight, to lock their vehicles, and to close their windows.
Police were handing out pamphlets that provide safety tips.
A total of 180 police officers had been employed to work during the Festival and their main focus was "getting drunk and disorderly people off the streets".
|
News
