The Din-Al-View Community Policing Forum Sector Five is extremely active in the sector, holding monthly meetings for all the residents.
Meetings are held on the last Wednesday of every month, at 6.30pm, at Dinwiddie High School.
“We want the community to be vigilant and proactive in keeping themselves, family and friends safe,” said Jane Dijkman, the public relations officer for the CPF.
“We all try to keep our pavements clean, neat and tidy, yet when someone is throwing rubbish on your lawn, it may very well not be rubbish.”
The CPF has issued a list of markers they believe criminals are using.
“Please look out for these and remove them only if you are certain it is safe to do so.
“If possible, call a CPF member out to check before removing, or take a photo and let us know.
“Criminals may mark your home to pass on information to other criminals,” Dijkman said.
According to the police, here are some of the markers used:
- “Z” painted on stop sign or the road – Houses in the street targeted for burglary.
- Pile of little stones – Dogs at home.
- Two big stones together – Two old people in the house.
- Stones in a row – Used to mark the number of people in the house.
- Swastika on road – House targeted for burglary.
- Direction of the swastika – Indicates which house is targeted.
- Coke tin, red cloth, crisp packet – Can expect resistance.
- Two Coke tins – Owner is armed.
- Coke tin opening towards the house – Someone is home.
- Upright Coke tin – Nobody home.
- White sorghum carton, plastic bag – Easy target.
- Sorghum carton facing the house – Target marked.
- White plastic bag on the fence – Easy target.
- Green used as a direction marker – Direction criminals should proceed in.
- Blue and/or blue and white packets – Easy target, someone inside will help.
- Crisp packets, normally neatly folded but sometimes weighted down with something inside the packet: packet facing the house – owner at home; packet facing the road – nobody at home.
- Shoes and soles near or by the gate – Nobody at home (direction of the shoes indicates escape route).
- Wrong number on house or cellphone – Checking if you are home.
- Electricity switched off at the main box – Be aware of leaving the house open as people inside are targets.
- Strange items in front of the house (like cardboard boxes, bricks or tree branches) – Do not stop to remove as you may be a target.
- Brick – Normally indicates a car to be stolen.
- Two or three bricks (normally new) – House robbery planned.
The police advise homeowners to immediately remove and dispose of all markers and to keep pavements neat and tidy.
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