Residents are being advised to take extra precautionary measures, following a series of gate motor thefts reported recently.
this after a man was arrested and charged with possessing stolen property after attempting to sell a gate motor and bracket at the Newcastle Taxi Rank.
Imran Ghafoor of the Newcastle Crime Fighters Task Team said he had received information that the man was carrying a suspected stolen gate motor and was on his way to sell it at the taxi rank.
An operational team, including the Newcastle Stabilised Unit (Sgt. Birbal), Sector Policing (W/O Thwala), Newcastle Crime Fighter Task (CCPA) (Imran), and Ressec Security (Mark) was mobilised and the suspect apprehended.
He was nabbed at the taxi rank, and the gate motor and bracket were recovered.
Ghafoor thanked everyone involved in the operation!
In the meantime, SAPS has issued safety precautions for residents to follow, to avoid becoming a victim of gate motor theft:
- Make sure your gate motor is enclosed in a steel casing or bracket, which is difficult to access from the outside. This steel casing or bracket should be kept locked at all times
- Secure the motor’s theft-resistant cage with a high-quality lock – choose a padlock with an insurance rating
- Weld a piece of flat bar to the gate rack or install suitable anti-lift clamps, to prevent criminals from bending the rack upward
- Households should keep track of their gate motor’s serial number and purchase receipt, as this helps the SAPS trace down the owner of a stolen gate motor if and when it is recovered, or if any suspect is found with a gate motor under questionable circumstances
- Engrave your name or make a mark on your gate motor.
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