Appliances, taps and computers stolen from Crime Intelligence offices

South Africa

The police’s Crime Intelligence division offices in Pietermaritzburg have been broken into five times in the past few weeks, according to employees.

They say computers containing sensitive information as well as kitchen appliances and taps were stolen, according to a GroundUp report.

The offices, in Wiganthorpe Road, were broken into four times in September and once in the first week of October, according to an employee who asked to remain anonymous.

The office does not have a security guard and surveillance camera. Only an electric gate with an access code acts as the security measure.

An office such as this one, which keeps highly classified documents should have very tight security. An employee complained that they felt abandoned, she said the break-ins have been happening since 2014.
“We don’t feel safe at all. In 2014, three or four guns were stolen. A suspect was arrested. He was released because there was not enough evidence. Up until today, we have not found the computers which were stolen. Those computers contained critical information. We don’t know what happened with those files in those computers.”

“Our office keeps sensitive files and documents. The security should be very tight. We have information about high-profile people,” she added.

She said the office was without water for a day after the last break-in and the staff had to go home.

After the theft of computers a few weeks ago, the remaining computers were moved to another police building in Church Street.

However, another employee said the offices in Church Street were equally in a  poor state.

When approached for a comment, national police spokesperson Vish Naidoo said: “It is with much regret that I must inform you that, given the sensitive nature of the work this unit is involved in, I am unable to confirm or deny anything you are raising in your query.”

 

-News24

 

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