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Swakopmund Neighbourhood Watch, Unit 11, The Dome, Swakopmund (2026)

14/04/2026

We are appealing to the public to assist us in finding a French Passport which was taken when a group of tourists were mugged and robbed on Wednesday, 08 April 2026 whilst returning from dinner at a local restaurant. These poor tourists are stuck and have to spend thousands in an effort to obtain a new passport and their entire holiday is ruined as they cannot stick to their planned itinerary without a passport. The missing passport is in the name of *Candice Rolland* . A reward is offered for the return of the Passport which would have been discarded by the suspects along with the other personal documentation. Let us show that tourism is important to us by sharing this with family, friends, colleagues, domestic workers, etc!

11/12/2025

-invasion

At 03h14 on Tuesday, 09 December 2025 we received a call on our emergency number to report a home-invasion and robbery in Tsavorite street, Vogelstrand.

Our members on patrol responded immediately and arrived literally a minute after the call was received. We also immediately informed Nampol and requested immediate assistance.

Upon arrival we learnt that four suspects gained access to the flat in the backyard by forcing open the sliding door and then proceeded to cut the chain used to lock the security gate with a bolt cutter.

They then quietly moved to the bedroom where the woke the sleeping elderly couple and immediately tied them up before ransacking the entire flat in their search for valuables. They demanded the keys to the safe which the couple handed over to them. They also demanded the vehicle keys but the couple did not have any of the vehicles keys in the flat.

The suspects took a firearm, the ladies purse, a mobile phone, removed the rings from her fingers, a small amount of cash and two bank cards. Once satisfied that there were no valuables worth taking the suspects left as quietly as they arrived.

The lady managed to free herself and she woke family members staying on the same premises and asked them to contact us.

The couple did the right thing not to resist and fortunately they were not hurt physically by the suspects. They realized that the suspects had the upperhand and that the safest and best would be to comply with their demands. Possessions can always be replaced but your life not!

We carry this lovely couple in our prayers and pray that they will receive the strength to overcome the trauma of the event!

They had what they thought was ample security barriers in place but these suspects once again came prepared, had the necessary intellegence and came armed with the bolt cutter. It is important to note that the flat is not visible from the street!

We are of the opinion that and security beams would provide the additional security barriers needed and it would provide an early warning should anyone approach the doors or windows.

The time delay caused by the fact that they were tied up and the suspects taking the mobile phone obviously provided the suspects with the opportunity to get away before we arrived.

It is suspected that the same group of suspects are responsible for both the home-invasions during the early hours of Tuesday morning!😡

11/12/2025

-invasions

At 00h39 on Tuesday, 09 December 2025 we received a call from a resident in Werft street to report an attempted home-invasion. We immediately responded to the scene and upon arrival we learnt that at 00h30 the tourists staying in the apartment were awaken by the sound of breaking glass and to their horror it was due to 4 suspects who were trying to gain access to the house in typical home-invasion style.

One of the tourists bravely fought back with a music stand and managed to prevent the suspects from entering the home and overpowering them due to their numbers. When the suspects realized that they will not be able to gain access to the home due to to the intensity of the counter attack and the noise created in the process they jumped over the gate and took off down the street towards the waiting getaway vehicle.

Unfortunately, the vehicle was long gone when we arrived on the scene. No one else in the street had heard or spotted anything as far as we could determine.

This was a carefully planned home-invasion. The suspects have taken time to study the layout of the street, determine the angles of the CCTV cameras and new exactly from where to enter the street without being observed and where to hide the geay vehicle out of site but close enough to easily escape if things go wrong. They based the attack on the premise that the victims will be fast asleep and could not foresee that one of the victims would fight back with such vigor and determination.

The property ticks most of the boxes as far as security barriers are conccerned and yet the suspects almost succeeded with their attack. The lesson to be learned from this attack is that anyone can be a target and that it is important to be vigilant and prepared at all times!

Be safe out there and call 085 999 when things go “bump” at night!

27/11/2025

On Tuesday morning at approximately 09h38 we received a call on our emergency number to inform us that two suspects had just smashed the window of a vehicle parked in a driveway in Woker street, Vineta.

The suspects grabbed a black backpack from the vehicle containing a laptop computer and some cash and ran towards Welwitschia sreet where they jumped into a blue vehicle.

This is another example of the danger of fixed routines and information available to employees which could be could reach the ears of criminals. The complainant was followed from his business premises to his home where he just stopped for a minute to collect something.

Please be vigilant and try to change your routine as often as possible, Do not always bank on the same days and at the same time and always bear in mind that this information can be leaked to criminals.

Never ever leave anything valuable in your vehicle no matter where you stop as those carefree days are long gone. An incident like this takes a few seconds from smashing the window and jumping into the getaway vehicle!

A case of theft from motor vehicle has been registered with Nampol and one suspect will appear in court today!

Be safe out there!

24/11/2025

pay

During the early hours of the morning there was a housebreaking at a residence in Dunen Weg, Kramersdorp.

Four masked suspects first meticulously covered the exterior security beams before gaining access to the house via an open bathroom window. The covers were pre-fabricated which means that they had prior knowledge as to which type of beams were installed, etc.

They silently moved to the bedroom and when the home-owner woke up they told her to be very quiet and not to talk at all. The lady complied and she was not attacked or manhandled at all. The suspects took an undisclosed amount of cash and a mobile phone and left as quietly as they came via the same window.

The security company immediately responded after the panic button was activated but by then the suspects had already disappeared.

Once again this house was targeted and it is evident that the suspects spent quite a bit of time hiding in the garden before they entered the house. It is very alarming that they succeeded in blocking two of the security beams either before or after the alarm was armed and that the alarm system gave absolutely no warning of the fact that the beams had been tampered with!

We again appeal to the public to immediately contact us on 085 999 if something like this happens to you. We understand that it is a challenge when your mobile phone has been stolen but wake your neighbours or ask your security company to give us a call. The more people respond the better the chanches of catching these criminals and getting them off the streets!

24/11/2025

-invation

We are sad to report that there was a home-invasion at a residence in Tsavorite street, Vogelstrand shortly before 11h00 on Saturday morning. One suspect knocked on the door and told the home-owner that his garden is flooded. This caught the home-owner offguard and then 5 suspects forced their way into the house and tied him up before ransacking the entire house.

He was manhandled and assaulted but was not hurt badly!

At least two of the suspects were armed with fi****ms! 😡

At this stage is is not clear what exactly was stolen as the house is an absolute mess but we do know that his firearm, an undisclosed quantity of ammunition, 2 x TV’s, a mobile phone, jewelery, alcohol, meat, tools and all his cash & bank cards were taken.

They brazenly parked on the pavement in front of the house facing the oncoming traffic! The getaway vehicle is a red VW Polo with dark tinted windows.

The home-owner waited until the suspects left and then stopped a vehicle in the street and asked the driver to contact Nampol.

There could be a million different reasons as to why this specific house was tagetted but unfortunately, the reality is that anyone can be a target and the quicker we accept it and start preparing ourselves, the better our chances are for survival. It is not the way it should be and we can argue about it and blame this entity and that entity until we are blue in the face but it will not change anything. It is the stark reality of living in Namibia where resources are not applied where requiered.

If your boundary walls are not high enough to keep intruders out or your gate is not locked, it would be advisable to install some sort of a door bell, preferably with a camera and two way communication so that you can see who is at the door and ask what his or her business is if they are not known to you. Another alternative would be be to install a camera wich could be accessed with your mobile phone and would enable you to see who is at your door before you open the door.

If the person ringing the bell or knocking on the door is not visible, ask him/her to move into the camera view and if they refuse then do not open the door at all!

Do not under any circumstances open the door for anyone who you do not know. It sounds terrible but that is unfortunately what the world has become. You can no longer trust anyone. Criminals will abuse and use your kindness or sympathetic concern for the well-being of others to catch you off guard and gain access to your propoerty!

Ensure that you know who your domestic worker is, where they stay and obtain a copy of their ID document. Be very careful not to take in casual workers who you do not know.

Most importantly, keep your valuables in a safe place, out of view and in a place to which your domestic worker does not have access. Be careful as people get targetted due to someone else’s perception of your financial status and the valuables you keep at home!

11/11/2025

We took the recent spate of housebreakings in Vineta personally and decided to do something about it.

We spent hours observing the entire area during the mornings and late afternoons as that was when the crimes were committed and on Friday evening the stakeout paid off.

We observed the suspect entering the area from the same direction as previously and wjilst some kept an eye on him we immediately responded to the area and we found a suspect matching the description of the suspect responsible for all the housebreakings in the area on the vacant land between Aldridge and Schwester Frieda.

A quick search of his person revealed a housebreaking implement, a canister pepper spray, etc.

He was duly arrested by the Nampol Reservists in attendance and taken to the Swakopmund Police Station for processing. He appeared in court yesterday morning and hopefully justice will prevail.

This is another example of what happens behind the scenes and the time and effort that are invested by our members to make Swakopmund a safer place!

I am immensly proud to be associated with the SNW family! You guys rock!

11/11/2025

A comment by a lady living in Ocean View on one of our posts last week gave me sleepless nights and I have been pondering for days about the comment and what the applicable solution and reply should be. The lady was unhappy as she apparently called twice at around 07h45 and left a message regarding the conduct of “bin miners” at the gate of their complex in Dr Eugen Muller, Ocean View but we did not respond to her call and she likened us to Nampol.

We have always been proud of our response times and we have received many praises from the public for getting to an incident so quickly. Frankly, to be compared with Nampol was a slap in the face.

I think that there is a misconception out there that Swakopmund Neighbourhood Watch is a business with employees working 24/7 and therefore we should be able to respond immediately to any call at any time of the day.

It is unfortunately not the case. We are an Association Not for Gain and all of our members are volunteers who do not receive any form of remuneration at all for their time, fuel used, etc. The main part of our operation consists of patrolling the streets and the monitoring our CCTV Network. Both these activities take place at night due to the fact that our members are then not working at their days jobs and can donate their time for a just cause.

We receive calls for assistance on our emergency number all day and we try our utmost best to respond to all serious incidents during normal working hours but obviously we do not have many members who can just leave their day job 3/4 times per day to respond to calls. The response is therefore limited to one or two members only.

07h45 in the morning is the time when we switch our emergency number between the team on duty during the night and the member who handles the calls during the day and it is possible that the calls were made whilst we were busy diverting the number and the message was left on the phone it had been diverted to during the night. It is also the time that most of our members are on their way to work and then it is extremely difficult to get anyone to respond if it is not a life or death situation.

The explosion in the number of “bin miners” is a huge concern and it has been addressed numerous times at the meetings of the Swakopmund Internal Crime Forum and at meetings with Nampol. We have our own idea how to address this but it is a social problem and therefore it is a “prickly pear” and the local authority is hesitant to take a firm stand as it might have an influence on the upcoming elections. Until a workable solution has been found our hands are tied!

What people however do not see or completely understand is the sacrifices all of our members have to make on a daily basis to do what most people have come to accept as our duty. Our members are the ones who leave their loved ones alone and unprotected to patrol the streets in an effort to keep the rest of Swakopmund safe and they are the ones who have to go to work tomorrow morning depite the fact that they have been working most of the night and could not get a full night’s rest. They live with a radio and a phone by their side 24/7 to be able to respond as quickly as possible to any emergency.

They have to respond to incidents of domestic violence, drunken street brawls, so-called street kids causing havoc, housebreakings, house-invasions, armed robberies, etc and this whilst they are no different than any other member of the public. They do not have a Superman Cape which makes them bulletproof or gives them super powers but they respond nevertheless because they have committed to keep Swakopmund safe and because their hearts are in the right place!

We are human and therfore we will fail from time to time but we will never stop trying! Next time before complaining, rather think of a way how you can assist us to do what we do and to improve our operation.

We urgently need manpower to strengthen our dwindling numbers.

Thank you to our many supporters for all your kind words and your much appreciated donations! You make us feel appreciated!

Keep Swakopmund safe! Call 085 999

06/11/2025

At approximately 19h55 on Tuesday, 04 November 2025 we were informed that a lady had just been robbed of her mobile phone in close proximity of the Police Station and that the suspect had taken off in the direction of State House.

The lady was sitting in her vehicle in a parking across the road from the Police Station when the suspect walked past the vehicle and then turned around when he noticed that she was busy on her mobile phone. He branzenly opened the passenger door and grabbed the mobile phone from her and then ran into Leuchtturm street. It only took a couple of seconds from opening the door to disappearing behind the bushes.

We assisted Nampol in searching the entire area but unfortunately the suspect had vanished into the night and he had switched off the mobile phone to prevent us from tracing the phone.

Fortunately the lady had not been injured at all but obviously incidents like these are traumatic for the victims.

This is just another example of how brazen these criminals have become to rob someone almost on the doorstep of the Police Station. This unfortunately also show the contempt which most of the criminals have for Nampol for various reasons.

The time has come to take back control of the streets and to show criminals what proper and effective policing is all about!

The Inspector General of the Namibian Police recently again reiterated that we need ”boots on the ground” but to put that in place, one needs available manpower and it is sadly lacking. We visit the Police Station on a daily basis and we see shifts being run with skeleton staff which obviously does not allow for any foot patrols to be done.

We still hear that there are no vehicle available to attend a complaint despite the General’s assurance that there are at least 6 vehicles allocated to the Station. The reality however is that the vehicles are not all available to the shift on duty at 02h00 in the morning as they are allocated to different divisions. Some of these vehicles are very old and have been donated to Nampol by Swakopmund Municipality instead of being sold on auction in an desperate attempt to assist Nampol with mobility.

These vehicles unfortunately have mechanical breakdowns due to their age and high milage and need repairs for which there is no budget. If the public does not assist to get them back on the road then these vehicles will stay out of commission for months on end. A good example is the almost brand new patrol vehicle which had been involved in an accident and stood for months before Namibia Cars & Guides took it upon them to repair the vehicle at their expense.

One patrol vehicle to attend to all the complaints is not the answer as the same vehicle is used for shift changes (transporting members) and it must also refuel on a regular basis which result in it not being available 24/7.

We have a beautifully revamped Police Station but we need more manpower and new vehicles to enable Nampol to operate efficiently and to carry out their mandate to the best of their ability!

We refer to Swakopmund as the “Adventure Centre of Namibia” and it is part and parcel of the itinerary of most tourists who visit Namibia. A lot of money has been spent and are being spent on marketing Namibia and Swakopmund in particular to the rest of the world. These tourists are easy targets for criminals and they are being actively targeted on a daily basis.

These investments have been paying off and the tourism & hospitality industry employs hundreds of people at the coast but if we do not protect the goose with the golden eggs then hundreds of people will be without an income and the ripple effect will be disastrous for Swakopmund.

Crime has become a part of our daily lives and if we do not do something now, we will never be able to curb or slow it down and it will explode to the detriment of everyone.

The time to act is now!

06/11/2025

On Tuesday evening, 04 November 2025 whilst I was writing the post about the incidents which took place in Omeg street, Vineta and the home owner was at the Swakopmund police Station to register a case of housebreaking, the brazen housebreaker returned and nonchalantly climed over the boundary wall in the same spot as previously, gained access to the house via an open door and stole a brand new mobile phone and food from the kitchen counter.

This all happened whilst someone was in the house but he obviously moved very quitely and grabbed what he needed before he climber over the gate and disappeared down Omeg street.

The theft was only discovered some minutes later and by then he was long gone!

Our warning to residents in the area is herewith repeated. Please ensure that all windows and doors are properly locked when you are not at home and that your security barriers are in place and operational. When you are at home it is recommended to at least arm your security beams which will give you an early warning if anyone approaches any of your windows or doors. Ensure that your sliding doors are equipped with an additional lock as it is a known weak spot and test your alarm regularly.

Discuss with your security provider what should happen if they receive a possible burglar alarm or panic from your home. This is crucial if you have high walls, etc which does not allow them to access your property easily if you are not at home.

Call 085 999 if you observe suspicious movement or if something makes you feel uneasy! Every minute counts!

Swakopmund Neighbourhood Watch

14/04/2026

11/12/2025

11/12/2025

27/11/2025

24/11/2025

24/11/2025

11/11/2025

11/11/2025

06/11/2025

06/11/2025

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