The Namibian Police Force (NamPol) in Rundu recorded 69 street robberies in July this year involving mostly money and cellphones, its Crime Investigations Coordinator for the Kavango East Region, Deputy Commissioner Bonifatius Kanyetu, has revealed.

Kanyetu told Nampa on Thursday the number of petty crimes decreased to 42 cases in August.

The deputy commissioner also said the street robberies are mostly carried out by boys between the ages of 15 to 18, adding that close to 27 gang leaders were arrested during the same period.

Kanyetu said with Operation Ndenderemo, which consisted of the Kavango East and Kavango West region police, they managed to reduce the number of street crimes to 42.

Members of the community through political parties like the All People’s Party called on the police to deploy the Namibian Defence Force to assist in restoring public safety in the streets of Rundu.

Many of the stolen items allegedly end up in the border town of Calai in Angola.

“We have recovered some of the stolen items in Calai by working with the police that side,” Kanyetu said.

Meanwhile, Kanyetu blamed the rise in street crime on a lack of parent involvement, stating that many parents do not know the whereabouts of their children.

He said many of the arrested suspects’ parents informed the police their children had been away from home for periods of up to two months.

“These boys are stealing to engage in alcohol and drugs. The addiction makes them repeat the crime,” he said.

Kanyetu warned members of the public against carrying valuables on their person at night and attending events until late at night.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency