Following the article, Is your gate safe, a home security expert has offered some tips to Sandton residents.
Charl Mijnhardt, the communications co-ordinator of Centurion Systems, a company which works with gate automation said, “One’s entrance gate is an absolutely integral part of the home security mix and is often one’s first line of defence when it comes to safeguarding one’s property and, by extension, one’s family and possessions.”
Mijnhardt stressed that even before the point of entering the home, there are opportunities for improving personal security.
“We have found that a disconcerting number of hijackings and robberies actually occur in driveways just as the victims are arriving home. This is typically the case because, unless the resident can get into the property very quickly, he or she essentially becomes a sitting duck for opportunistic criminals,” he explained.
For precisely this reason, Mijnhardt believes that it is best to fit a fast gate motor that can open and close the gate as quickly as possible.
He added, “Better still, have one fitted that incorporates an infrared automatic closing feature. This will ensure that the gate closes automatically the moment that the resident has cleared the infrared beams.”
He explained that it was very important to keep the driveway well lit and clear of shrubbery and vegetation that could be used by criminals as a hiding place.
According to Mijnhardt, there have been cases of criminals following their victims home and then pinning the entrance gate with a vehicle so that the gate motor picks up a collision and does not close.
“Investing in a fast gate motor with automatic closing, preferably working in tandem with the infrared safety beams, will do a great deal to reduce the risk of this happening.”
Mijnhardt stressed that adequate anti-lift brackets should be provided to prevent the gate from being lifted by criminals who want to break into a property.
“[It is important to] strengthen the mounting of the rack adjacent to the pinion so that the rack can’t be bent up and away from the pinion and lose locking engagement [this involves the part of the gate at the bottom that rolls along a track in order to open and close]. And secondly, the front catch bracket must be sturdy enough to prevent the intruder from pushing the gate over.”
Lastly, Mijnhardt said an electric gate lock could also be fitted to lend additional security to the gate.
Read more:
Safety tips on how to avoid driveway robberies
CPF issues safety tips to Sandton residents
Top tips to foil smash and grabs
