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Cops dismiss e-mail about no patrols in residential areas as hoax

Abed Ahmed

Yet another hoax e-mail has made its way into millions of South African inboxes.
This time, it reads that police will focus on the 2010 Fifa World Cup™ activities and leave suburbs vulnerable to crimes such as hijacking and armed robbery.
But the e-mail has been investigated and declared a hoax, according to provincial police spokesman Colonel Eugene Opperman.
“Unfortunately, South Africans love causing a stir and the majority of the people are gullible when it comes to hoax e-mails.”
He said that policing will continue as normal, before, during and after the tournament. “Policing will continue in all suburbs and police stations as normal.”
Opperman said that during the World Cup about 44 000 police officers from specific units will be deployed throughout the country at stadiums, hotels, fan parks etc.
“This is a very small number in comparison to the hundreds of thousands of police officers and private security company’s that will be carrying out their normal duties during the tournament.”
He warned that the public should be as alert and not fall victim to hoax e-mails.
abed@caxton.co.za

Published on June 4, 2010 at 5:38 pm