Be proactive and don’t become a victim

The spokesperson for the Edenvale SAPS, Captain Jean Olckers, gave the following tips to community members to try reduce the risk of residential burglaries and robberies.

•  Have a dog or a small dog inside the house, as they will bark when they become aware of suspicious activity outside.
•  Put up electric fences/ razor wire on perimeter walls.
•  Invest in an alarm system that includes beams and sensors in the garden, along outside walls and on the roof.
•  Trim trees and shrubs to open your property to neighbours to allow visibility.
•  Invest in security lights that will switch on when they detect movement
•  Invest in a CCTV camera and intercom system so you can speak to people outside your property.
•  Have multiple layers of security gates at home.
•  Ensure that doors are strong/sturdy and have high quality locks.
•  Close the curtains to stop people from looking inside your house.
•  Have a secure room where you can run to in case of an emergency.
•  Have a charged cellphone in the secure room.
•  Make sure your panic buttons work and you can reach them easily.
•  Screen all domestic employees before hiring them.
•  Keep a copy of their ID book.
•  Do a criminal check on the employee.
•  Find out as much information about the person you are hiring, such as why they left their previous employment.

To report a crime contact the SAPS on 10111.

Sector vehicles can be contacted on:

•  071 675 6841 for sector one.
•  071 675 6842 for sector two.
•  071 675 6843 for sector three.
•  071 675 6844 for sector four.