A Cunningham resident is calling for street lights and better security after her family experienced repeated break-ins and thefts over the past 10 years.
Karolina Lomaibatiki, who has lived in Cunningham with her husband and children for the past decade, says theft has become a major concern for families in the area.
She says her home has been broken into three times and her family's vehicle has also been targeted.
She also claims cassava is regularly stolen from their plantation, with other families facing similar problems.
Lomaibatiki claims most of the thefts happen late at night, early in the morning or when parents leave home to pick up their children from school.
She says there have also been cases where cassava was stolen during the day while families were still at home.
Lomaibatiki says one suspect was caught, but she believes others are still responsible for many of the thefts.
She says another major concern is the lack of electricity and street lights along their road, making the area unsafe, particularly at night.
Insert:Lomaibatiki on challenges
Lomaibatiki says residents have been requesting electricity and street lights for the past 10 years and have submitted several applications, but nothing has been done.
She believes installing street lights, including solar lights, would improve safety and help reduce thefts and grab-and-run incidents.
Lomaibatiki says during bad weather, families have to cross the road to charge their phones at homes with electricity. She claims some children have had their phones stolen while taking them to be charged.
She also claims groups of young men often gather along the dark roadside and residents are sometimes abused when they ask them to move on.
Lomaibatiki says she reported the cassava thefts twice at the Cunningham Police Station and reported a burglary at her home to Nabua Police Station in 2021.
She says Police visited after the burglary was reported, but there was no further follow-up.
Lomaibatiki says many residents now feel discouraged from reporting incidents because they believe little action is taken.
Questions have been sent to Police, and we are awaiting a response.
