Armed Robbery on Middle Campus
Posted 23/04/2008 by Craig Lotter
Dear colleagues and students
I write to inform you of a most disturbing incident that took place on middle
campus on Saturday 19 April.
A female student leaving the Kramer building just before noon was robbed of her
belongings (cellphone, laptop, handbag) by two armed men waiting in the parking
area between All Africa House and the Kramer Law Building.
Mercifully, she was not injured in the process. The robbers locked her in her
car and departed with the keys. She managed to escape and alerted Campus
Protection Services (CPS), who gave chase immediately but came under fire. The
assailants jumped into a waiting vehicle and again fired at a response vehicle
from CPS. Thankfully no-one was injured but unfortunately the assailants got
away.
I want to extend my gratitude to the members of the Campus Protection Service,
for their immediate reaction and their efforts to deal with a very difficult
situation. Thanks are also due to the Departments of Student Affairs and
Communication for their help and support. The student is receiving counselling,
and police are investigating. They have already recovered some of her stolen
possessions.
This incident is most regrettable and unacceptable. We have worked hard at
reducing levels of crime on our campus with some success, and have invested
heavily in securing the campus. We now have 230 CCTV cameras installed with wide
coverage and a Campus Protection Services re-action team. Internal campus
patrols take place continuously, and we have four external patrols on the
fringes of our campus. We review the situation constantly.
While incidents of crime have been reduced on campus, they cannot be completely
eliminated given levels of crime in the society around us. Saturday's armed
robbery underscores that fact that the need to be vigilant at all times, to use
the safe walk routes, note the presence of alarm beacons which staff and
students can activate should they feel threatened, report suspicious people
roaming our campus, and avoid walking alone wherever possible.The number for CPS
is 021-650-2222.
This incident tells us just how much we cannot let our guard down.
Professor Martin West
Acting Vice-Chancellor and Principal
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