During the second installment of her monthly MAD sessions, Ms Penny Steyn will delve into criminal signs.
Come February 22, Ms Steyn will teach domestic workers and gardeners about signs that criminals use to target homes.
“Some dispute that criminals have a system of using signs. Over the sixteen years that I have been running these lessons, I have had numerous calls from people who have been attacked only to spot the signs after the horror experience,” said Ms Steyn.
She said criminals have informants that they pay in exchange for details of homes and businesses they want to target.
“How can we be naïve and think they don’t have a form of signing which homes to attack? Our domestic workers and gardeners are walking the street. We have to give them guidelines to remove potential signs if they see something suspicious. This will prevent crime from happening. We simply cannot ignore tell tale signs,” said Ms Steyn.
Affectionately known as MAD Penny, Ms Steyn has been affected by crime.
Both her husband and best friend were murdered.
In 2001, she also became a victim of crime.
“I woke up one night with two men in my bedroom, one of them strangling me. The only thing that saved me that night was my decision to fight back. I bit the man’s finger so hard and refused to let go. He tried to continue strangling me but I just would not let go until he screamed to his friend that they leave my house. I had to take a course of anti-retrovirals because I had bitten into his finger so much that he bled,” said Ms Steyn.
She said she decided to empower domestic workers and gardeners because they are the first in line should an emergency arise.
“Home owners are usually at work when criminals strike and, therefore, it is important for their staff members to know how to conduct themselves should an emergency arise,” said Ms Steyn.
She said the upcoming lesson will look into the multi-faceted signs to be aware of and graphic signs.
The lessons take place every last Wednesday of the month at the Bedfordview Methodist Church and start at 2pm.
