PROFESSOR Rudolph Zinn, author of Home Invasion: Robbers Disclose What You Should Know, states that burglary is the biggest crime in neighbourhoods with over 240 000 burglaries every year in South Africa.
Zinn says most burglaries take place during the day when people are at work. These burglaries are opportunistic.
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“They will usually pick a neighbourhood and go from house to house, ringing doorbells or intercoms to see if anyone is home. They want to get in and out as quickly as possible so any noise, like dogs on the property, would act as a deterrent. Dogs kept inside are the greatest deterrent,” he says.
He distinguishes between burglars and robbers. He says robbers scout a neighbourhood to see how tight the security is. When interviewed, 68 percent said a visible patrol or neighbourhood watch would deter them from going in, so having a good neighbourhood watch in the area or proactive patrolling by a security provider can be a major deterrent.
Seventy-seven percent of robbers interviewed said they had help from a source inside the house.
Theunis Kotze, ADT general manager inland region, agrees, saying this is one of the primary reasons ADT first introduced their domestic watch programmes to empower domestic staff to be more security conscious.
Zinn also highlighted the importance of perimeter security, saying robbers were less likely to hit a home that had a perimeter alarm or beams as they said it gave the home owner more time to arm themselves and call their security provider or the police.
He said robbers usually went into houses between 4pm and 10pm as people were at home and did not have their alarms set yet.
Kotze says it is imperative for homeowners to arm their alarm as soon as they are home in the evening and particularly when they are asleep. The value of perimeter security comes into stark focus when you consider the current trend.
“Electric fences and beams act as an early warning system for homeowners and can be a very strong crime deterrent.”
Kotze says following some basic steps can go a long way to protecting your home and family.
Additional security tips:
• Ensure the shrubs are trimmed around your driveway gate. All overgrowth and trees should be cut back to prevent criminals from utilising these to access your property by jumping over walls.
• Perimeter doors should be fitted with adequate locks. Ensure the front door has a safety chain or safety latch and, if the door has no vision panel, a door viewer.
• Ensure all windows are fitted with adequate locks or burglar bars that cover all glass.
• Install outside lights that can be remotely controlled from inside the house.
• If you note suspicious vehicles, individuals or groups in your neighbourhood, contact the police or your security company.
• Sleep with a panic button next to your bedside in case of an emergency.
