You do not need to report crimes in the precinct where they happened – SAPS

Fear of revisiting the crime scene often prevents victims from reporting cases to the police, leaving many crimes unsolved. But SAPS has clarified that victims can file reports from other locations or request police assistance at home.

“You can even go home and call the police to come to you,” said Colonel Andre Traut, spokesperson for SAPS in the Western Cape.

It is only necessary to return to the police station in the precinct where the crime was committed if you need a case number immediately for insurance purposes.

If you do not need the case number right away, you can file the report and wait a day or two for the case to be transferred, depending on the severity of the incident.

Traut said you should never be turned away from a police station if the crime occurred in another area.

He added that while it is not necessary to report the crime immediately, it is best to do so as soon as possible to give police the best chance of solving the case.

To listen to Colonel Andre Traut in conversation with Pippa Hudson on CapeTalk, click the audio player below: