Shopping centres across the city are set to see an increase in shoppers with the shift to adjusted lockdown Level 1.
But as more people flock to the shops, criminals are also attracted to the busy shopping environments.
This is according to Fidelity Services Group head of marketing and communities Charnel Hattingh, who encourages shop-goers to remain vigilant of their surroundings at all times.
Hattingh provided six reasons criminals find easy targets at shopping centres:
1. There are a lot of people in one area which makes it easy for criminals to disappear into the crowd once they have stolen your handbag or shoplifted.
2. Women with children are often distracted – turning away from your trolley with your handbag in it for even two seconds is enough time for a criminal to take advantage.
3. Criminals can easily blend in with other families. Women use children to steal cellphones, handbags and the like, especially in restaurants where they are ‘innocently’ waiting to be served.
After the crime is committed, they simply walk off into the busy crowd and blend in.
4. There are many ATM machines and on a busy day nobody wants to hold other customers up if the machine is giving trouble.
This is when a ‘good Samaritan’ steps in and offers to ‘help’, and helps themselves to your pin and bank card.
Before you know it, thousands could be withdrawn from your account.
5. Parking areas are large, offering criminals a chance to sit in a car and identify their next target without coming across as suspicious. This could be a woman alone or with children or an elderly person.
6. It is easy to sit in a car and remote jam cars. Always check your car is in fact locked before walking away.
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