Spate of housebreakings in Berea

BLUE Security has urged residents and business owners to be vigilant after several armed robberies and an attempted hijacking were reported in Umbilo over the past two weeks.

A spate of housebreakings where criminals derailed driveway gates and climbed through roofs to gain entry were also reported to the company. Incidents were reported in Morningside, Glenwood, Umblio, Musgrave and Overport.

Blue Security managing director Henk van Bemmelem said armed robbers and thieves had targeted businesses in Umbilo.

“Armed robbers held up a business owner in once case and in another staff were held up at knifepoint and robbed of their cellphones. Housebreakers have also been active on the Berea derailing property gates and forcing open the doors of homes and businesses to gain entry,” Van Bemmelen said.

He said criminals had fled with cash, cellphones, a camera, a television and vehicles.

“In one case two men entered a business premises and asked for a quotation for a service and when an assistant went to the back office to fetch the quote they stole a cellphone and fled,” he added.

Van Bemmelen said Blue Security reaction officers had arrested two burglars and two security guards for allegedly stealing 18 bags of sugar from a business in Bayhead Road.

“The two gang members arrived at a business premsises in a black Colt Mitsubishi and started loading bags of sugar into the bakkie, allegedly with the help of two security guards on site,” he said.

Reaction officers swiftly responded, arrested the suspects and handed them over to Brighton Beach SAPS at the scene.

Van Bemmelen warned residents to be vigilant when arriving home and leaving as there had also been an attempted hijacking in Pitcairn Road in Carrington Heights and a gang of three men had mugged a woman of her handbag in Sutton Crescent in Morningside as she walked to her car.

He said there had also been several “gate-crashing” incidents and cases where cat burglars had climbed onto roofs and removed tiles to gain entry into properties. He urged property owners to install sensors linked to the alarm both in the roof of their properties and on their driveway gates.

“Installing a sensor at these critical points of entry allows for an early warning system as the alarm will be triggered as soon as movement is detected. This buys time in an emergency and enables residents to escape and lock themselves in a “safe” room where they can call their security company and the police for help,” he said.