03 Sep 2014

The business community has been advised to practice new crime prevention techniques to curb crime.

Speaking during a one-day workshop in Serowe, the Botswana Savings Bank Serowe branch manager, Mr Oabile Moloi said the business people should work together to fight crime.

He said crime prevention would be meaningless if the business people and the community did not work together and be involved in the ways of preventing crime.  

Crime, he said, was a challenge to all, and if people worked togethe,r the efforts of the police and police clusters would bear fruits. Mr Moloi said the appearance of their businesses could attract or deter crimes of any nature.

He said keeping their buildings clean could keep away criminals and also advised them to eliminate blind spots in their businesses by placing mirrors in corners of their shops to deter thieves.

Mr Moloi advised the business community to place their entrances under constant visual surveillance and empty cash drawers and leave them open when closing their businesses.

He said security personnel and employees should be well trained on their jobs and also advised business owners to put signs showing that their properties are manned by security.

Mr Moloi stressed the need for business people to be more responsive to the police by honouring workshop invitations as they are there to help them. They were also urged to join clusters and committees so that they could work collectively to curb crime.

For his part, No 2 District Officer Commanding, Mr Paul Molapisi said the objectives of the workshop were to cultivate the communities into meaningful contributions towards fighting crime.

Mr Molapisi said the workshop was meant to breach the gap between the police and the business sector in fighting crime and to introspect on the challenges faced and map a way forward in drawing up an action plan in fighting crime.

On other issues, Mr Molapisi noted that crime prevention committees are meant to monitor crime and criminal patterns and to promote public awareness and define public role in reducing and fighting crime.

He said committees develop study and improve crime prevention measures suitable for adoption by the public. They also help in disseminating and educating the public on enforcement and implementation of various laws of the country. 

The theme of the workshop was “The Business community contribution in collaboration with the police in the fight against crime.”  ENDS