HOME owners should do some research before allowing anyone onto their property or into their homes to do any work, says ADT Security.
According to Adrian Good, general manager (coastal region) for ADT Security, residents should be sure that any contract worker, cleaner, construction worker or builder is trustworthy before they are granted access.
“The people you have employed to work in your house or on your property form a vital line of defence in the fight against crime. You need to know that you can trust them with your property while you are away,” said Good.
He said doing the necessary background checks before hiring them may seem like a time consuming exercise but could make all the difference to your home security. “In many cases of break-ins and house robberies, we find that there has been inside information shared with criminals,” he said.
Good recommends starting with a criminal record check which can be obtained through the SAPS, with the potential employee or contractor’s consent.
He also suggests doing a reference check with previous employers.
“Ask questions about dismissals, responsibilities, any security issues, tardiness, and so on. Their answers will give you a good idea of the person’s track record,” Good said.
If you have a security system installed and you will be leaving the property, he suggests that you ensure that the people working for you know how to activate the alarm to call for help in case of an emergency.
“Explain to them how they need to deal with an alarm activation, what to do when the security company calls and when an officer responds,” he said.
Good also suggests that employees are not allowed to give access to the property to anyone they do not know. Only if you have given permission for them to come onto your property should they be given any access. He further also explains how you should respond if someone rings the doorbell or calls on the intercom.
“Always ask the person to identify himself or herself by full name, ask them to state their business, ask them to show identification such as a company ID card, ID book or driver’s license and verify this, by calling the homeowner to find out if they are expecting the person or call the company the person works for to check if this is indeed a legitimate visit,” he said.
Good said lastly, consider enrolling any employees who may be working for you for an extended period of time in local crime-prevention forums which take place in most neighbourhoods every month. These are often arranged by the SAPS or community members and teach valuable crime-prevention and safety tips.
