A LOCAL security company is urging residents to remain vigilant about home and personal security following a recent spike in opportunistic crime.
“We have received recent reports of house robberies, yard hoppers and theft of items left out in gardens and theft of valuables through windows in the Berea, Morningside, Glenwood and Umbilo areas,” explained district manager for Fidelity ADT in KwaZulu-Natal, Vaughan Pillay.
Opportunistic thieves are always on the lookout for easy opportunities to take advantage of vulnerable properties.
“The best defence against burglars, opportunistic thieves or armed robbers is to make your property as unattractive to criminals as possible by implementing extra precautions to keep your belongings safe, inside and outside the home,” said Pillay.
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He said residents must refrain from leaving bicycles, toys and tools in the garden and never leave doors, windows or security gates open. “Keep your security gates locked at all times and ensure the keys are removed. Ensure your yard has sufficient lighting and activate early-warning systems such as garden beams and/or electric fencing and ensure these are linked to armed response. Make sure your alarm is working properly in all zones of the home,” added Pillay.
Get to know everyone in your immediate vicinity and have their contact details. You can look out for one another and can raise the alarm if something seems to be amiss.
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“Take note of any potential safety issues and raise it with your neighbours. This includes everything from broken fences, to open gates, to valuable items left unattended. A practical way of staying in touch with neighbours is to consider forming WhatsApp groups for every street. This can be a quick and effective way of sharing safety-related information with your neighbourhood,” said Pillay.
Get the whole family involved in security and ensure they know where the panic buttons are, how to use them and who to phone in an emergency.
“Tightening up small vulnerabilities can amount to a huge relief when it comes to home security. Remain vigilant and do not leave anything to chance,” Pillay concluded.
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