Truck theft unit keeps City Deep crime-free

Alan Peat LAST YEAR'S disbandment of the SA Police Services (SAPS) national anti-hijack unit has not been the security disaster for City Deep that was anticipated. It was feared that the end of the anti-hijack squad would destroy a lot of the security strategies worked out for City Deep, according to an FTW source in the container industry/police community forum, a body which has almost stamped out hijacking and other serious crime at the inland port in its five years of crime-busting activity. But this has proven to be unfounded and City Deep has remained crime-free. Much of this, FTW was told, must be credited to the "sterling solo efforts" of the Kazerne truck theft unit which was previously part of a security triumvirate with the container operators and the anti-hijack squad. With the demise of the national squad, this regional unit volunteered to take on the hijack mandate for the area, extending some 300 kilometres around City Deep. "We have had excellent service from the Kazerne unit on its own," FTW was told. "So good, in fact, that no company operating out of City Deep experienced a hijacking last year." While nobody has suggested that the national truck hijacking situation is any better - an "industry" for crime syndicates with a turnover of over R1-billion a year - the City Deep scenario remains an example to the land, with the Kazerne truck theft unit earning plaudits for its contributions to this fight against crime. The railways are also due some credit, FTW was told, with their efforts to cut theft from containers on trains having a positive effect. This, our source added, was predominantly due to the introduction by Spoornet of "bathtub" wagons. These are modifications of standard rail wagons, with special "barrier" units welded to each end, preventing the container doors from being opened en-route. They have also played a role in preventing theft from containers from City Deep, said our source, and have added their own contribution to the crime fighting efforts.