Gate battery thefts on the increase in Kloof
Use these six handy tips to help secure your gate from thieves.
RESIDENTS have been warned to secure their gate motors following several incidents where criminals have disconnected and stolen batteries.
Blue Security’s operations manager, Brian Jackson, said an armed response officer arrested a suspect in Kloof at the weekend and recovered three new batteries.
“Our officer was patrolling the neighbourhood just before midnight after local street patrollers advised him to be on the lookout for several criminals. He arrested a man in Emolweni Road and recovered three batteries. These belonged to a resident in Buckingham Road,” he said.
The thief was handed over to the Kloof SAPS. Jackson said criminals were not shy to strike a second time once a battery had been replaced.
Six tips to help protect gate motors and batteries from theft:
Move the motor: Install the gate motor as far away from the fence as possible. This will prevent criminals from reaching in and tampering with it. Alternatively, weld a metal plate across the bottom of the fence or gate to effectively block access.
Plant thorny bushes: Plant a few prickly plants around the gate motor as a further security barrier to prevent unwanted tampering.
Bolt it down: Securely bolt your gate motor into the ground to prevent theft.
Lock it up: “Always keep your gate motor box locked to prevent battery theft and to stop intruders from switching the gate onto manual for easy access and escape,” said Jackson. He also advised residents to keep a spare key for the box on all home key rings.
Install a bracket: Jackson urged residents to install an inexpensive metal anti-lift bracket onto gates. “This will stop criminals from lifting the gate off its railing. Be sure to fit the bracket as close to the gate as possible with a less than a 1cm gap,” he said.
Get an anti-gatecrashing kit: Add a simple anti-gatecrashing kit to your home alarm system. The kit is fitted to the gate and will immediately trigger the alarm should anyone tamper with the gate or try to derail it.
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