Tips for keeping your family safe at home

Graphite Security offers the community safety tips to help them keep safe and prevent house robberies and hijackings. Frikkie Klopper, tactical operational manager, warned that most house robberies take place when you are in your comfort zone at home.

Tips to prevent break-ins and robberies:

• Make sure all windows and doors are secure and locked before going to bed.
• Make sure all bushes and trees are trimmed to avoid perpetrators from using these as a hiding spot.
• Clear your yard and pavement from any debris.
• Sufficient lighting is required in your yard.
• Ensure that entrance gates to your property are properly closed and that security gates entering your home are secure and locked.

• Activate your outside beams when you are in your home. This way you will be alerted should someone enter the premises without your consent.

• Inform your security company if you’re having a gathering at your home with family or friends so that they can do more regular patrols and be visible around your premises.
• When leaving your home or going to bed at night, always activate your alarm system.
• Always ensure that you have your security companies number saved on your phone· Save a family members number under ICE (In Case of Emergency) on your lockscreen on your phone.

To prevent a hijacking:

• Always check your rearview mirror for a possible vehicle following you.· If you find that someone is following you, make four left turns. If the vehicle is still following you, contact your security company or go to the nearest police station.

• When approaching your home, check your surroundings for suspicious vehicles or people.

• Always stop in the street when opening your gate. Do not stop directly in front of your gate while opening it.· When pulling into your driveway, stop just behind the gate and then close it so no vehicle can pull in behind you.

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