House break-ins are a common occurrence in Johannesburg and have affected many residents.
Criminals will target vulnerable houses in a neighborhood, and they do not discriminate. Big or small, rich or poor, if your home seems like an easy target, it will be at risk. This according to Warrant Officer Moses Maphakela, spokesperson for the Bramley Police Station
He also gave the following tips on securing your home and preventing break-ins:
- Lock up during the day:
Even if you are at home, make sure that your front door is locked. “People assume that house break-ins do not really occur during the day, but in actual fact, homes are targeted during the day when people are at work,” Maphakela said. He added that criminals ring intercoms to see if people are home. If they don’t receive a response, they take it as a sign that no one is home.
- Close all windows at night:
Before you go to bed, make sure that all your windows and doors are shut and locked if possible. “House robbers look for the smallest gap in your security and exploit it,” said Maphakela.
- It’s a team effort:
Maphakela urges families to work together to secure their homes. “The whole family needs to make sure that the house is secure. Even the small ones can help,” he explained.
- Burglar-bars help:
Installing added security in and around your home will discourage criminals from attempting a break-in. Maphakela noted that the cost of installing slam-gates and other security measures might be expensive, but it would save residents money in the long-run.
- Be vigilant:
Maphakela said that the best way to stop house break-ins was to be vigilant and report suspicious behavior. “Residents must work together and report any suspicious behaviour to the police and local security personnel.”
Details:
011 445 4100. Bramley-saps@saps.org.za
