MUHANGA district mayor Yvonne Mutakwasuku has called upon residents to actively engage in safeguarding security as a way of stopping criminal activities in the area.She was addressing residents of Kiyumba sector following reports of rampant cases of theft in the area.The meeting was part of the ongoing Governance Month, which seeks to reinforce citizen participation in governance issues.Addressing residents, the mayor argued that if well coordinated and conducted, community policing efforts and community night patrols can be successful strategies to curb the thefts."Sometimes, you find that people who are supposed to be on patrol discussing their personal businesses rather than focusing on how to stop criminals,” she regretted as she called on people to remain focused on the patrols.She told residents that proper organisation of the patrols is essential in curbing criminal activities."What is important is not the number of people on patrol, but how they are organised and their determination to stop any criminal who might want to harm people’s safety”.According to area residents, there have been repeated cases of thefts and other petty crimes in the sector. They blame the ‘numerous unemployed’ young individuals in the area of being behind the incidents.The idlers allegedly break into  people’s houses and shops at night where they steal properties.