Mbombela plagued by “seasonal” crimes ahead of the festive season

Crime continued unabated in Mbombela over the weekend, according to Callum MacPherson of Hi-Tech Security.
He said house and business robberies have increased sharply, with the infamous “fishing” method used to remove goods from homes with open windows.

“Just yesterday, we apprehended a suspect who had fished a cellphone from a home in Impala Street. The suspect
was arrested in Piet Retief Street shortly afterwards, with the phone still in his possession,” he said.

MacPherson attributed the spike in crime to the looming festive season, and added, “These are seasonal crimes. As
we approach the last stretch of the year, until about December 15, there is usually a spike before these types of crimes show signs of declining.”

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He added that crimes such as armed robbery and business robberies are seasonal, and urged victims to follow a
few guidelines for their own safety.

Residential
1. Always keep a remote panic button on your person.
2. Most house robberies occur between 17:00 and 22:00, before the home is securely locked and alarms activated.
3. Having perimeter alarms that can activate during these hours is vital.
4. Be aware of your surroundings when returning and leaving home. Suspects favour following targets home from public areas.
5. Never leave the safety of your home to investigate anything strange outside. Having CCTV around the home can assist in keeping you in your safe zone.

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Business
1. Ensure you have multiple remote panic buttons with various staff members.
2. Never confront robbers. Give them what they want.
3. Most businesses that are targeted, are open to the public, making access a challenge. Having offsite camera monitoring and having your own area where staff member(s) can view cameras is essential.
4. Have training sessions with staff regarding these crimes; your security company can assist.
5. Appointing a staff member to daily monitor security risks is a good way of spotting trouble
before it arrives. Have this staff member check outside the business for any suspicious activity.
6. Business robberies mostly occur during closing times over busy periods.

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McPherson also mentioned that motor gate and spotlight theft has seen an increase, as well as car battery theft.

“On Sunday evening we recovered a stolen motorcycle on the Hilltop pass, and again yesterday evening another
motorcycle was reported stolen.”

He further urged residents to keep their eyes peeled for any suspicious activity, and to be keenly aware of their surroundings to prevent falling victim to a criminal attack.