SEE HOW THEY ARE TRYING TO WORM THEMSELVES OUT OF THIS ONE!!!!
BETHAL – Police officers apparently refused to help a resident when a housebreaking took place.
Mr and Ms Erasmus were asleep when their house alarm went off.
A local security company phoned Mr Erasmus and asked if everything was all right.
Mr Erasmus replied that everything seemed fine, but he would investigate just to make sure.
“When I got to the living room, I saw that the couch was moved and the window was open.
“I tried to phone Bethal Police Station several times, but their line was engaged, so I phoned the security company to come out,” Mr Erasmus said.
According to him, the guard was there within a few minutes and the premises was secured.
The guard then went to the police station requesting that they assist the Erasmus family.
The officers working nightshift replied that they were striking because their office commissioner did not leave money so that they could fill up the generator because their electricity was off.
Mr Erasmus told the Echo/Ridge that the security guard reported back to him and said that police officers wanted Mr Erasmus to go to the police station because they were striking.
“I am outraged by this action! Mr Erasmus said.
“A police vehicle does not run on municipal power. “The fact that my security company contacted Secunda, Trichardt, eMzinoni and Bethal Police Stations without any response or dispatch vehicle being sent out to investigate, is absurd.” Mr Erasmus said.
The security company also tried to reach officers on their radios, but there was no response.
The Echo was told that the police had not yet been to the Erasmus residence.
“We went to the police station and opened a case.
“There is a clear fingerprint on the window in the living room.
“I guess we will just have to wait until someone finds the need to do their job,” Mr Erasmus said.
W/O Phume Villakazi said a vehicle was sent out, but that the officers went to the wrong address.
Three officers gave statements and said they did receive a complaint from the security guard, but the address that was given was wrong.
They went out to the house that was reported to them and saw that everything was in order and that the alarm was activated, so they patrolled the area to see if they could find anything out of the ordinary.
They said they did not know anything about the allegations made against them that they were striking.
“A follow up was done the next morning, but the Erasmus family was not home when the officer went out,” W/O Villakazi said.
“This is just a misunderstanding, and we apologize for the inconvenience the Erasmus family had to endure.”
