Be vigilant and minimise opportunities for criminal elements during load-shedding
Fairland Police assist homeowner who had left garage door open preventing theft or damage.
A resident of Frederick Drive in Fairland recently left the house to catch a flight and had unwittingly left their garage door open which would have been easy access into the rest of the property for a passing criminal.
Fairland police noticed the open garage door while on patrol and called the Community In Blue patrollers to join them at the scene and secured the property with no loss or damages.
CPF secretary Bhaai Cassim and patroller captain said, “We waited for private security to attend the scene and got both neighbours to check their houses to ensure nothing was stolen.”
The CPF patrollers have increased patrols during periods of load-shedding.
Fairland Police Station Commander Lieutenant Colonel de Freitas said, “We were relieved nothing was taken. We encourage the community to call for assistance if they notice anything suspicious, especially during load-shedding as it is an opportune time for criminals to move around largely unseen.”
The police service has issued the following tips to stay safe during power outages:
- Stay alert and be aware of your surroundings when arriving or leaving your home.
- Make sure your cellphone is always charged.
- Know how to manually operate electronic gates or garage doors so you can still gain access to your property during an outage. Use padlocks to lock all gates.
- Make sure you have a sufficiently sized back-up battery on your alarm system and electric fence to ensure uninterrupted power to security systems.
- Be cautious when using candles or gas lamps for lighting to prevent fires. Keep out of the reach of children.
- If you are operating a generator, never operate it in a confined area as it produces carbon monoxide gas which can be deadly.
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