Improve Rural Policing For Safety’s Sake

I HAVE been living and working in Mariental only from November 2003 and a lot has happened since then.

My house was broken into three times and there was one attempted break in. I have since lost all my clothing, my entire CD and cassette collection and various other items, some belonging to others living with me.The estimated value of all lost is more than N$ 15000.00 and I am not talking about the damage done to the house.These days we are uneasy when we go to work, since two of the burglaries were during the day and some nights we can’t sleep, as we hear sounds, thinking it is once again the criminals.These criminals are cheeky, since they only steal certain stuff and once used a key to enter the house.How they knew what key to use is a mystery to me, but now it seems the uninformed, slow and unprofessional arm of the law is assisting them to get away with their crimes.The first time they took more than a week to arrive at the scene of the crime.The second time they came the same day, but the third time two weeks after the act, and we were sent in circles as the previous break in was just a day before and we were told only to wait for the detectives and to compile a list of stolen items.No investigation of the premises was done and no fingerprints were looked for, because the investigators told us it’s all right to clean up and the only thing needed was the list.I do not understand how an investigation can be done if you don’t go to the scene of the crime, interview possible witnesses and follow up on leads.One of the other tenants was insulted and warned of possible bodily harm, but when she also reported the case, the prosecutor threw the case out since apparently there was no evidence to support her claim, but there were witnesses.The person we suspected is known to the whole of Mariental and he has friends in the police and we feel that this is one of the reasons they are not eager to investigate the case with more urgency.I personally feel the regional commander or even the inspector general of police force must look into this, because I know we are not the only ones with complaints.All over the country people are helpless to the incompetencies and slowness of what are supposed to be our guards against wrongdoing.I hope and pray that someone with authority and integrity reads this letter and ensures that something is done, especially about rural and small town police.Disgruntled MarientalI have since lost all my clothing, my entire CD and cassette collection and various other items, some belonging to others living with me.The estimated value of all lost is more than N$ 15000.00 and I am not talking about the damage done to the house.These days we are uneasy when we go to work, since two of the burglaries were during the day and some nights we can’t sleep, as we hear sounds, thinking it is once again the criminals.These criminals are cheeky, since they only steal certain stuff and once used a key to enter the house.How they knew what key to use is a mystery to me, but now it seems the uninformed, slow and unprofessional arm of the law is assisting them to get away with their crimes.The first time they took more than a week to arrive at the scene of the crime.The second time they came the same day, but the third time two weeks after the act, and we were sent in circles as the previous break in was just a day before and we were told only to wait for the detectives and to compile a list of stolen items.No investigation of the premises was done and no fingerprints were looked for, because the investigators told us it’s all right to clean up and the only thing needed was the list.I do not understand how an investigation can be done if you don’t go to the scene of the crime, interview possible witnesses and follow up on leads.One of the other tenants was insulted and warned of possible bodily harm, but when she also reported the case, the prosecutor threw the case out since apparently there was no evidence to support her claim, but there were witnesses.The person we suspected is known to the whole of Mariental and he has friends in the police and we feel that this is one of the reasons they are not eager to investigate the case with more urgency.I personally feel the regional commander or even the inspector general of police force must look into this, because I know we are not the only ones with complaints.All over the country people are helpless to the incompetencies and slowness of what are supposed to be our guards against wrongdoing.I hope and pray that someone with authority and integrity reads this letter and ensures that something is done, especially about rural and small town police.Disgruntled Mariental