Eblockwatch helps to fight crime

Johannesburg, 11 Sept 2003

Another local online crime-fighting initiative, www.eblockwatch.co.za, says it is proving successful in helping fight crime in SA`s suburbs.

The site is one of several online crime-fighting initiatives. Earlier this week, reports of a crime statistics Web site, www.crimestats.co.za, generated a huge response from the SA public.

Eblockwatch owner, Andre Snyman, says the networks set up through his Web site are providing information about crime and are playing an effective role in fighting and preventing it.

Snyman, who runs a transport company, launched the site three years ago after listening to 702 DJ John Robbie who asked how technology could be used to locate a girl who had gone missing.

"I was already using a SMSs in my transport business to notify clients, so I came up with the idea to use a similar system in fighting crime. I informed Robbie about my idea and I later appeared on his show. The site just took off from there," he says.

How it works

With 15 000 registered users who are notified when crimes are committed, Snyman says eblockwatch is helping to make people more aware of where crime is being committed and the information is also being used to fight crime.

"All the users are divided into areas and industries. When one of the users reports a crime, all the users in that area/industry are notified by e-mail and paying subscribers also receive an SMS."

Snyman says eblockwatch consists of three networks: the community network, in which users are notified about crime, the sector police network and the domestics` network.

The sector police network consists of sector policemen who are notified when any crime happens in their area.

"Using the network, sector policemen can send out group SMSs to other sector policemen in their area or even all the sector policemen in the province who are registered with us. This enables them to have a better idea of what crimes are being committed in their areas and facilitates communication between the police and the community."

Snyman says the domestic network allows domestic workers to SMS the other domestic workers in their area warning them of any suspicious activity.

"We`re also planning to launch a hijacking network. An infrared Webcam will be installed in one of the northern suburb hijacking hotspots. Any hijackings will be sent to the local security company and the residents` association. If it is a success, we`ll set up more Webcams at other crime hotspots," he says.

As many as 10 crimes are reported to eblockwatch on daily basis and Snyman says the networks have also helped bring breakthroughs for the police.

An international focus

Snyman has also launched Travel Buddy, which extends the eblockwatch idea to tourists who are visiting SA.

"Travel Buddy provides tourists with information about the areas they are visiting and helps them if they are affected by crime or if they lose their passports."

Snyman says that while eblockwatch shows that the Internet can be used to provide information and fight crime, its scope is limited because of the number of people who have access to the Internet in SA.

"The major problem at the moment is that the Internet only reaches a small section of our society. But as it grows, so eblockwatch can become more effective, playing a greater role in monitoring and fighting crime," Snyman says.

A list of crime-related Web sites can be found here.