THE Umbilo/Glenmore Neighbourhood Watch monthly meeting held recently was well attended.
Chairperson, Wally Coombe, reported that hijackings, home invasions and smash and grabs were on the increase and urged residents to become pro-active in combating crime by changing routines and practising emergency drills with family and domestic workers. Make sure you have a ‘safe’ room where everyone can gather if your home is invaded. He encouraged residents to have good quality pepper sprays as a form of self-defence and to keep several around the house.
He advised residents to never go outside to investigate a possible intruder but to rather stay inside and remain calm.
He said students were still walking to and from the university with their expensive phones and tablets in full view, which was encouraging muggings.
Coombe said a new modus operandi for robbers was to carry a jacket over their arm to throw in the face of their victim while they stab the victim and grab their phone.
He warned of three men seen driving around with gate jammers and who were thought to possibly be on drugs and looking for easy targets to rob.
He encouraged residents to get to know their neighbours and join social media groups to keep up to date about the crime in the area.
For immediate updates on your twitter feed sign up for https://www.kzncommwatch.co.za or https://twitter.com/KZNCommwatch
