IN light of the rising trend of armed robberies and home invasions in recent
months, Blue Security managing director Darryn Le Grange has urged residents and business owners to consider
installing an early warning system on their properties. This follows a string of housebreaking incidents in the Highway area this month.
In one recent incident, a gang of of armed robbers held up an elderly couple in their home in Waterfall. Le Grange said the gang of four men, one armed with a knife, dug a hole underneath the fence of the Kandalila Road property. “The gang broke a window to get inside the home. They held up the elderly couple and tied them up before ransacking the property,” said le Grange.The gang fled with jewellery, a television, a DVD player, cellphones and a Sony Playstation console.
In another robbery in Bridle Road in Forest Hills, three armed robbers used a pole to force open the front door of a business premises. The robbers tied up the staff and fled with two cameras, a laptop, jewellery, shoes and other items.
In a third incident in Kayalami Road in Westmead a gang of robbers drove through the main gate of the property, held up the security guard and tied him to the gate. They then forced open the office doors and fled with computers and cash from the safe.
“Home invaders have continued to target residents across Durban making it important for residents to consider their options when it comes to outdoor security. This could include the installation of outdoor infra-red beams or the use of a watchdog that can sound the alarm the moment an intruder enters or comes near your property. Having a detector fitted to your gate that is connected to the alarm also provides a valuable early warning system against gate crashers,” said Le Grange.
He added that the primary function of an early warning system was to buy time.
“This allows residents time to lock themselves and their families in a safe room in the house from where they can press a panic alarm to further alert their security company and call the police – before coming face to face with an intruder.”
Other crime incidents included housebreakings and thefts in Old Main Road, Underwood Road, Dirk Road and Suffert Street in Pinetown, Goodwood Road in Westmead, Cloeckmer Road in Clermont. Items stolen included doors, copper piles, petrol, hosepipes, cash, a welding machine and a laptop.
Housebreakers were also active in Hawkstone Road in Hillcrest, in Clifdale Road in Assagay, Blairgowrie Road in Westville and in Gordon Pirrie Crescent in New Germany.
