Residential robberies are skyrocketing in Randfontein and elsewhere in the country.
According to First for Women insurance Managing Director Robyn Farrel, the company has established that in most cases, criminals approached their victims under false pretenses.
“As an insurance company that also insures household valuable items, we have realized that there has been an increase in reimbursement insurance claims from our customers relating to house robberies.
“Our clients have indicated that some suspects gain access into their homes under false pretenses.
“Our investigations have also revealed that criminals tend to pretend that they know the home owner and even go as far to pretending to be from a reliable company such as Eskom and often they are even dressed the part in order to be let in.
“Once inside the property, they would hold residents hostage and ransack valuable items,” says Farrel.
She adds that this modus operandi emerged a few years ago, yet criminals are still getting away with robberies using this tactic.
“The only way to prevent this is to advise everyone in your home to never open the gate or the door to anyone unless the visit is pre-arranged and the person’s identity is confirmed.
“Until then, apply the maximum security principle,” says Farrel.
Homeowners are also urged to get into the habit of cautioning their domestic workers and their children against such trends.
Farrel says that it is best to advise them not to offer personal information about household security routines to anyone over the intercom.
“If this kind of information gets in the wrong hands, it can prove to be a security threat,
“Some people really are wolves in sheep’s clothing” says Farrel.
