BFS share festive safety tips

The festive season is upon us, which means many residents will be taking to the road to embark on holiday or day trips away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

Others will be flocking to shopping malls to browse the aisles for the perfect Christmas present for someone special.

However, criminals may be lurking, seeking opportunities to strike.

Warrant Officer Grant Giblin, spokesperson for the Benoni Flying Squad has provided the Benoni City Times with safety tips in an attempt to ensure that travellers and shoppers remain safe throughout the festive season.

“All the tips are based on personal experiences and not on any studies or analysis of individual cases,” said Giblin.

“But by remaining alert and vigilant at all times, members of the public may be better equipped to respond to incidents of crime.”

He said that it is important to remember when coming face-to-face with perpetrators, that these individuals have one objective, to get what they came for and escape.

“One cannot precisely say what a person with criminal intent would be after as many crimes can be random and opportunistic.,” he said.

“Criminals are highly strung while committing a crime as they want to leave the scene as quickly as possible to avoid being caught.

“Combine stress with a firearm or any other weapon and a situation may become volatile if the perpetrators become violent.”

Should you find yourself in such a situation, victims are advised to remain calm, comply with instructions and not pose a threat to the aggressor.

Highways and travelling:
• Rule of thumb when travelling is to ensure that your vehicle’s basic condition in tip-top condition.

“Maintenance like services should be up to date to ensure that motorists do not get stuck next to the side of the road,” said Giblin.

“Brakes, tyre condition including the spare wheel, jack and other required tools as well as all fluid levels, especially coolant, oil and fuel should be checked.”

• Inform friends and family of your departure and destination point.

“This will allow them to establish a timeline and route you intend taking thus making it easier to locate in the event of a breakdown,” he said.

“In such an event immediately contact them in order to get assistance to your location as soon as possible.”

• Make sure your cellphone is fully charged and have a charger on hand.

• Always be on the lookout for any obstructions placed in the road.

“Obstructions such as rocks, debris or strips of rubber or wood with nails driven through it, could be placed in the road to bring you to a stop or cause damage to your vehicle in order to force you to stop and assess the damage. This makes you and your family vulnerable to assailants waiting to rob or hijack you.”

• Be aware when travelling at night in poorly lit areas and quiet roads.

If you feel uneasy, rather source an alternate route where possible.

• Be observant at all times.
Take particular care when approaching traffic lights should anyone be loitering nearby or approaching your vehicle.

• When travelling on familiar roads look out for anything that may seem out of the ordinary.

“If you suspect that you are being followed, test your theory by accelerating or slowing down. If the driver in the other vehicle is mimicking your driving patterns, rather opt to drive to a shopping centre or filling station.”

• Should you witness a robbery or crime being committed on one of the country’s highways, it is advised to not intervene.

“Call the 10111 call centre to report the matter, giving as much detail pertaining to the location. Be on the lookout for highway patrols in order to report the incident immediately.”

Shopping centres
According to Giblin, vehicles in parking areas without registration plates or idling in front of entrances could be suspicious and should be reported to the nearest security guard.

“Pay attention to shoppers and employees’ reactions, this should give an indication if anything is amiss,” he said.

“Shop doors that are closed when the outlet should be open can be an indication of a robbery in progress. Immediately inform uniformed guards and avoid the area.”

• In crowded shopping centres, beware of groups of individuals who gather around and bump you in attempts to take cellphones, wallets and purses without you realising.

Keep these items concealed and ensure that handbags are zipped up.

• In the event of shots being fired, try identifying where it is coming from, get out of the way and take cover.

“Many shopping centre features, such as dustbins, pillars, benches or walls can be used as cover,” said Giblin.

“Running wildly could lead to injury. Crouch down indicating that you are not a threat and wait for officials and police to respond.”

• If you have any information regarding the number of suspects, possible descriptions or what vehicles were used to flee, ensure to convey it to responding officials immediately.

Kidnapping
“Kidnapping is a very technical and sensitive subject and information is not freely divulged to avoid copycat incidents,” he said.

“When entering crowded areas with your children, parents must ensure that they do not become separated and remain supervised at all times.”

• Avoid using your cellphone it may lead to you becoming distracted.

• Always know the whereabouts of your children and who they may be with.

“BFS along with local police and other stakeholders are concurrently implementing ongoing operations in the fight against crime and will continue doing so in order to adapt strategies according to crime trends,” said Giblin.

“Vigilance by the public plays a major role in their safety and the fight against crime. We would rather respond to a complaint of suspicious activity than investigate incidents where a crime has already been committed and someone was injured or killed. If you see something, say something.”

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