You could be helping a burglar

POLOKWANE – Residents could unknowingly be assisting robbers to gain entrance to their homes.

This was revealed during a recent community policing forum (CPF) meeting held at the Polokwane police station. During the meeting several burglaries in various areas of the city were reported. In some instances, access to the property was gained by means of items such as empty crates being stacked against a wall, making it easy for the burglar to climb over the wall.

Jo-anne Buys, a resident of Fauna Park, said burglars had gained access to their property in this manner.

Burglars also gained entry in this manner to her neighbour, Lucas Liebenberg’s yard. According to the police report the robbers made use of the structure used to keep refuse bags out of dogs’ reach when refuse collection was due to take place. The burglars used the refuse bag stand to climb over the wall. Polokwane police spokesperson, Capt Ntobeng Phala, said criminals staked out houses that could be burgled long before they committed the actual burglary. He said this was when they gathered information about the target, the people in the house, entry points and the best time to commit the burglary.

Make sure there is nothing that could assist a burglar to gain entry.

These included:

• Anything standing against or close to a wall that could be used to climb over the wall.

• Tools that could assist in opening or breaking into a house.

• Items of value that were close to fences and windows.

Phala said it was important that residents were aware that they also had a role to play in crime prevention.