A SURGE of burglaries in Kildare, Panorama, Ngwelezane, Nyala and Grantham Park over the last week has resulted in the Empangeni police deploying additional patrol vehicles to the affected areas.
Empangeni SAPS spokesperson, Captain Mbongeni Mdlalose, attributed the activity to a gang who gain entry by breaking, cutting or unhinging unlocked windows.
‘The gang in operation has also been gaining entry through garage windows with inter-leading doors into the main house. They are targeting electronic gadgets and jewellery,’ he said.
‘We urge residents to secure their fencing and make sure they close their windows properly. Having alert dogs also helps and if affordable, install burglar bars and alarm systems,
‘According to our statistics, residential burglaries peak on Friday afternoons and the early hours of Saturday mornings. We now deploy an additional team that patrols from 7am until 4am,’ he said.
Recently Durban Metro Police translated gave a presentation on marker signs left by criminals staking out a house ahead of a burglary or armed robbery, for example cans, stones and plastic bags.
However, Mdlalose said no evidence existed of such a trend in Zululand.
‘Criminals do their own investigation and monitor the routines of the occupants of the homes before they strike,’ said Mdlalose.
