Centre takes stand against signal jamming

The criminal trend of jamming car alarms to prevent shoppers from locking their car is one that is being reported at shopping centres nationwide.

With the festive season around the corner, Lonehill Shopping Centre has taken preventative steps to hopefully ensure crime is at a low this year.

“As mall owners, Tintswalo Property Group invests a lot of effort and money in protecting shoppers to ensure that they can have peace of mind while shopping at our centres,” said Michelle Conradie, general manager of the Tintswalo Property Group.

This is why Tintswalo has installed an anti-jamming device at its Lonehill Shopping Centre to alert security to vehicle lock jamming taking place so that they can react immediately and catch perpetrators. Security guards also patrol the premises and keep an eye out for any suspicious people roaming around the parking area, making sure safety is of the highest class.

Tintswalo’s detection device vibrates when it picks up jamming activity from about 100m away in undercover parking areas and 200m in open parking areas. At the end of each day a thorough reconciliation is taken of every activation picked up on the device and the

device’s history is kept on file in case of future complaints from

shoppers.

The anti-jamming device is only one intervention though, therefore Conradie advises shoppers to protect themselves by being careful when they shop in a mall or go to public places.

She provides the following tips on public safety against thieving:

q Park your car close to other cars and people to ensure that you do not have to walk alone to and from remote areas.

q Park in a well-lit parking space, especially at night.

q Ensure that you keep your bag closed at all times when walking around in public and never leave your bag unattended in a trolley while you shop.

q When you visit the restrooms in a mall, hang your bag from the door hook rather than leaving it on the floor where it can be snatched by thieves lurking in cubicles.

q When unpacking your trolley at your car, do not leave your bag or keys on the car roof because it can be grabbed by criminals.

q Lock any valuables left in the car in the boot and out of sight.