The Norwood Police Station’s Crime and Information Manangement Analysis Centre (CIMAC) recently issued tips to business owners and homeowners on how to avoid becoming a victim of a robbery while having renovations carried out on the premises.
The centre urged owners to ensure that they take down all the contractor’s details while work is being carried out. Warrant Officer Riaan Riekert, acting head of CIMAC, explained that these details included the company’s name, contact details and their employees’ details.
“It’s also important to be careful what you do in front of these workers, where you place your valuables and when you use the safe, as they may be observing it for criminal use,” he explained. Another tip Riekert issued was to ensure workers do not work out your daily routine, as this would make it easier for potential thieves to track your movements and plan their robberies around this.
He also stressed the importance of double checking employees’ identities when hiring them, even for just one day, and this can be done by checking their ID or passport documents with the police. “It is important to make a copy of their documents and [most importantly] to not just employ people off the street and invite them onto your property.”
Riekert concluded by urging residents to visit a police station should they hire people for a contract so that police officers are able to do a background on employees.
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