‘Be extra careful this season’ – SAPS
With the festive season fast approaching, the community is urged to be extra alert of their surroundings.
The SAPS urged the community to be aware to eliminate possible opportunities for criminals.
Follow these guidelines and tips to ensure safety and security this festive season.
- Business robberies and break-ins
Business owners need to ensure their alarm systems are in full working condition.
Businesses should make use of access control – business robbers want to get in and get out. The use of access control creates a delay in cases of robberies.
Business owners need to be alert to and aware of movement around the premises of the business, as well as people roaming around.
Ensure security and alarms are checked continuously.
- When leaving the mall or shopping centres, individuals should be aware of the following:
If you are withdrawing large sums of money or purchasing expensive items such as jewelry, shoppers need to ensure they are aware of anyone displaying suspicious behavior and make sure they are not being followed.
Instead of withdrawing a large amount of money, make use of transfers or other technological ways to deal with your money.
If you have to carry a large sum of money, do not go alone – rather have increased security.
When parking at the malls or shopping centres, do not lock your vehicle from a distance. If you lock your car make sure you check the doors as this eliminates the possibility of your vehicle’s remote being jammed.
Do not leave valuable items exposed on the seats or on your person.
Leave valuables unseen and not exposed in the vehicle.
- To prevent house break-ins, driveway robberies, hijacking and house robberies residents should be aware of the following:
Ensure the outside perimeter security is in a good condition.
Alarms systems are in working condition.
When leaving your home or approaching your home, be alert for suspicious vehicles following you, or people wondering around.
Contact the SAPS if anything looks suspicious to avoid becoming a victim of crime.
- Theft of motor vehicles and theft out of motor vehicles
Ensure valuables are removed from the vehicle in order to eliminate an opportunity for crime.
Do not park vehicles in a quiet street.
Where possible, park vehicles in a secure premises.
Make use of gear or steering locks. Although these are seen as old methods, it becomes a tactic to delay suspects and possibly prevent the vehicle from being stolen.
- Smash-and-grab
These may occur at any traffic light and not just at offramps.
Motorists create an opportunity to become victims of this crime when they are on their cellular phone while stopped.
Ensure that handbags and other valuables are not visible in the car when driving.
Hide all valuable property and do not leave such items exposed on the vehicle’s seats.
