Know the signs: here’s how thieves target homes
Most of us pay little attention to rubbish outside home and office buildings but these and strategically placed rocks serve as signs among would-be robbers. According to Specialist Investigator Mike Bolhuis, it is important to pay attention to these sightings.
POLOKWANE – Community Policing Forums (CPF) have been warning residents in the city about the methods thieves use to communicate with each other regarding which homes to break into.
Most of us pay little attention to rubbish outside home and office buildings but these and strategically placed rocks serve as signs among would-be robbers. According to Specialist Investigator Mike Bolhuis, it is important to pay attention to these sightings.
Polokwane Police Spokesperson WO Lesiba Ramoshaba urges residents to be on the lookout for anything that may look different around their houses; this includes unknown people hanging around.
He also warns residents not to go outside if they suddenly hear a tap running or dogs barking as this is a ruse to lure people out of their homes.
Here are signs the police say residents should look out for:
• A “Z” painted on a stop sign or on the road – homes on this street are targets.
• Pile of little stones – warns of dogs.
• Two big stones together – two old people live in the house.
• Stones in a row – indicates how many people are in the house.
• Swastika painted on road – homes on this street are targets.
• Direction of the Swastika indicates which house is the target.
• A red soft drink can, red cloth, crisp packet etc. – expect resistance.
• Two red soft drink cans – indicate the owner is armed.
• Red soft drink cans facing the house – someone is home.
• Upright red soft drink can – nobody is home.
• White sorghum carton, plastic bag – easy target.
• Sorghum carton facing the house – target marked.
• White plastic bag on fence – easy target.
• Anything green is used as a direction marker.
• The direction an item is facing is the direction in which the thieves should proceed.
• Blue and white items – easy target/ inside job.
Crisp packets neatly folded and weighted down:
• Crisp packet facing the house – owner at home.
• Crisp packet facing the road – no one home.
• Shoes and soles near or by the gate – no one home and direction they’re facing indicate the escape route.
• Dropped/wrong number calls on your home or cell phone – checking if you are home.
• If the electricity is off at the main box, don’t leave the house open as the people in the house are the targets.
• If you notice items such as cardboard boxes, bricks, tree branches outside – do not stop to remove them or you will be a target.
• A brick – indicates a car to be stolen.
• Two or three bricks (normally new bricks) – house robbery planned.
• If the item is black – it indicates stock theft.
• Poisoning: If a dog dies suddenly or vomits, check for black specks in the vomit or white powder near the dog. Report all dog poisoning to the SAPS who MUST give you a case number.
• Be on alert if you hear your dogs barking.
• Kiewiets (and geese) are excellent watch dogs. They sound the alarm when a human encroaches on their territory. Make note of their different cries.
The police advises homeowners to dispose of any markers and to keep pavements neat and tidy. WO Ramoshaba said this strategy is more likely to be implemented in rural areas because thieves can make use of GPS coordinates to identify targets in urban areas but that residents should none the less be vigilant.
“It is better to be proactive and take away anything from your house where possible and report the things like markings on municipal property to the municipality,” Ramoshaba concluded.
