The South African crime statistics published on 28 September revealed that the victims of 128 000 home invasions had come into contact with the perpetrators.
While the number of home invasions has been on a downward trend since 2013 with a 0.8 per cent decrease from the previous year, managing executive at Fidelity ADT Stuart Clarkson said that the number of incidents is still high.
The report showed that approximately 7 per cent of households in South Africa were victims of crime in 2016/17, compared to about 9 per cent of households in 2015/16.
Clarkson urged residents to always be prepared. He said, “The first thing we encourage residents to do is to stay calm and try to think rationally in the situation. A home invasion is a very frightening situation especially when you have to worry about other family members.
“Unless you feel you are facing an imminent life-and-death situation, don’t fight back. As hard as it may be, accept your situation and give your assailants time to take any material possessions they want. Speak only if spoken to and then try to keep your answers short and to the point.”
He added that victims of household robberies should be conscious not to stare at the assailants but still get a good look for identification while listening for names or other details.
Clarkson added that residents need to speak to their families and staff about possible scenarios so they can be aware of what to do should they ever find themselves confronted with a home invasion.
Details: www.statssa.gov.za
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