Heather Park

Dear Heather Park Residents and Members of the Heather Park Neighbourhood Watch,

There was a disappointing response to the request for nominations for HPNW Office Bearers ((Exec Committee members) for 2027, with the few nominations received unanimously re-electing the current committee (with the exception of Ben de Villiers, who is standing down). Fortunately all the current committee members are prepared to continue next year, and Riana Smalberger has agreed to fulfil Ben’s role as Deputy Chairperson, in addition to her roles as Treasurer and Liaison  for 2027. The official election will take place at the Annual General Meeting on 30th November 2026.  

The HPNW Executive Committee will sustain the tenets of Consolidation, Co-ordination and Communication in all its duties, and matters will be dealt with in a timely and efficient fashion during 2027. 

We will continue to improve the overall efficiency and effectiveness of HPNW by steadily increasing our CCTV camera network, radio communications network, and patroller and camera overwatcher complement. Manpower remains a constraint for a fully-functioning patrol and overwatch schedule and more volunteers are required.

We thank those current Members who loyally support the HPNW. Attendance at monthly General Meetings is definitely increasing, and we urge ALL residents to become involved, for the purpose of optimising and maintaining security in our suburb/community. To those of you who cannot attend meetings but are committed through your kind donations and offers of help when needed, thank you in advance.

As noted previously, crime is definitely on the increase in George. With the festive season imminent, two of the most important factors of personal and property security are AWARENESS and VIGILANCE. Do not take anything for granted, always consider opportunistic crime.

Take special cognisance of the  Alerts (Do’s and Don’ts) listed below:

RESIDENCES:

DO:

• Ensure that all external doors and security gates are locked at night
• Ensure that all items of value (bicycles, gas bottles, etc) are out of sight and locked away
• Minimise thick shrubbery which provides hiding places for burglary/ambush
• Activate your alarm, ensuring that the battery is charged and in good working order, especially if you are going away on holiday
• If you are going away, advise your neighbours and HPNW
• Leave outside lights on 

DON’T:

• Place black/blue refuse bags/wheelie bins on the pavement before 6am on Monday mornings – this attracts unwanted vagrants who could be “spotters”/opportunistic burglars 
• Leave residences in complete darkness for extended periods of time

VEHICLES:

Vehicle theft and theft of items out of vehicles are becoming more prevalent. Please be vigilant when driving, or parking in public areas:

DON’T:

• Leave any items (valuables, groceries, etc) visible in your vehicle on the passenger/back seat, even while driving
• Assume that your vehicle is locked when you lock with the remote

DO:

• Double-check that your vehicle is locked before you leave it, as “car-jammers” can jam the remote signal, providing them access to your vehicle after you leave

CYBER-CRIME:

DON’T:

• Assume that all on-line retailers are reputable and secure – often funds for online purchases are simply “lost” in cyber space
• Respond to any telephonic/online interventions purportedly from your bank, always check with your branch

DO:

• Be alert at ATM’s for scammers who secure PIN numbers, or steal and clone cards
• If you are a victim of any account hack or scam, report it as a matter of extreme urgency to your bank to prevent/limit the withdrawal of funds

Striving for a crime-free community.

2026 HPNW Executive Committee