Farm robbery causes brothers to tighten security
Four men were part of the robbery.
Having unwanted visitors might cause an inconvenience, especially if their intentions are not good.
Mr Abel Hashen got the shock of his life after four men who had a firearm walked in to rob him of his valuables.
On Saturday, April 2, Mr Hashen said that he had accompanied his brother who was going out of the farm.
As he was about to lock up, four unknown men stormed in and threatened Mr Hashen with a gun.
“The four men walked in just after my brother had left at 21:00. They pushed me in and demanded money. The others started searching the house while one of them was pointing a gun at me,” said Mr Hashen.
The suspects got away with Mr Hashen’s car, his money and his vegetable stock. A case of house robbery was opened, yet no suspects have been arrested.
The communications officer of the Witbank Police Station, Captain Eddie Hall gave farmers who live in nearby plots the following safety precautions:
* Ensure that all doors are locked at all times and that windows are closed when you are not at home.
* Large dogs serve as a deterrent. At least one dog should be trained to sleep inside the house.
* If you leave your residence, inform your family/neighbours of your intended destination, the time you expect to return and the route you will be driving, especially if you reside in a rural area.
* Ensure that tools such as axes, spades, picks, ladders, etc that can be used in an attack, are locked away when you do not use them.
* Vary your daily routine.
* Get into the habit of not immediately falling asleep after switching off the lights.
* Remain awake for a while.
* You should not be visible in the bedroom from the outside when you are asleep.
* Always keep a torch nearby at night and when you use it, ensure that you do not give away your position.
* Contact your neighbours to assist you in securing your home.
* Identify relatively safe places of refuge, i.e. bathroom, toilet or storeroom.
* The fewer windows and doors these rooms have, the better.
* Involve employees as they are part of the family/team. Employees must be involved in maintaining security on an equal footing.
* Report suspicious behaviour and information to the South African Police Service.
* Clear the areas around the gates of bushes and other hiding places.
* Take photographs of all employees. It could be to your advantage to identify them if required.
* Remunerate your employees when useful information is provided that contributes to the prevention of crime.
* Keep copies of all your employees’ Identity Documents (IDs).
