The community of Heidelberg and surrounding areas are urged to note the following safety tips shared by Lt-Col Muzikayise Nkabinde, Vispol commander at Heidelberg SAPS.
Residential burglaries and car hijacking remain problematic. There is no visible decrease in crime statistics around the Heidelberg precinct.
Nkabinde said, “Two extra vehicles have been deployed to patrol identified hotspots in Heidelberg.”
Visible policing is an assurance of community members’ safety.
Tips to avoid burglaries
• Instal burglar bars on the windows and doors
• Instal an alarm system and alarm beams
• Alert your neighbours if you are going away
• Report to your neighbour if you suspect any suspicious movement in the yard and/or call the police
• Inform your housekeepers of any arrangements that will take place in your home, such as plumbing or delivery
• Before opening the gate for strangers, confirm with the house owner first
Drivers
• Drivers are urged to stop giving lifts to hitchhikers. It is not safe and it puts your life in danger when you do not know who you are giving a lift to. There is currently an increasing number of hijacking and kidnapping cases and SAPS has also put measures in place to fight against this crime
• The victims are kidnapped and their belongings are taken, while they are dropped near the Vosloorus policing area. The targeted vehicles include Toyota Hilux, Polo Vivo and other high-powered engine vehicles
Some tips to avoid being hijacked
• Do not stop at deserted places
• Do not drive during the night
• Do not just stop when someone offers help
• Do not give people lifts
• Try to avoid being bottled or cornered by two or more vehicles
• If you are suspecting something, drive straight to the nearest police station
When hijacked
• Try to identify places and suspects, cars used and landmarks
• Report the matter as soon as possible to the police
Online shopping and scamming
• Be careful when you shop online. Scammers use the internet to defraud people. Before making a purchase online, verify if the company you are purchasing from is legitimate
• To minimise the problem, avoid online shopping, rather go to a shopping mall or store for your purchases
• Stop sending people you don’t know money without meeting them and make sure the item they are selling is valid and legitimate
Bank fraud
• If you receive a call from an unknown number or person claiming that they are from the bank and they ask you to verify your personal information, don’t give them. Your bank will never phone you and ask for your bank PIN. If you are unsure, contact your bank immediately for assistance
• Do not give your personal information to someone you don’t know/over the phone
• Verify companies’ information before you make any purchase
• Avoid paying for something online that you did not see physically, especially cars
• Your bank will never ask you for your pin refrain from giving your pin to strangers
Mugging
• Muggings mostly happen in town and at the taxi rank
• Usually, cellphones and money are targeted with perpetrators using knives and other weapons
To avoid being robbed
• Don’t expose your property
• Avoid people walking in groups
• Suspects are usually young boys
• Try to walk in groups of two to four
• Don’t walk alone
It is always advisable to know the cellphone numbers of family members and your police station by heart or 10111/112.
“We really looking forward to making our community a crime-free zone.
“If we work together, we can achieve more and squeeze crime to zero,” Nkabinde said.
