Polokwane residents urged to act as gate motor thefts escalate
A surge in gate motor theft in Polokwane suburbs has sparked safety alerts with residents urged to install deterrents and work with police forums.
POLOKWANE – Neighbourhoods Fauna Park, Bendor and Mahlasedi Park have seen a sharp rise in gate motor theft, prompting warnings from security companies and calls for stronger community involvement in crime prevention.
Gate motor specialist Hannes Els of BH Bros confirmed that Fidelity ADT’s recent findings, that point to five cases in one week, reflect only a portion of the problem, since many incidents go unreported.
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Els explained that stolen motors and batteries often end up in scrapyards or are sold on the black market at discounted prices.
In some cases installers have removed working motors to re-install them elsewhere for profit, leaving homes vulnerable when gates are forced onto manual override.
He urged residents to work closely with community policing forums and local police and advised the following precautions against gate motor theft:
1. Install anti-lift brackets on both the front and rear of the gate.
2. Fit a disc lock or secure pin on the motor’s anti-theft bracket.
3. Use accredited, registered installers only.
4. Have all security measures professionally inspected for vulnerabilities.
5. Avoid purchasing second-hand gate motors or spare parts.
Fidelity ADT spokesperson Charnel Hattingh added further recommendations:
1. Enclose the gate motor in a lockable steel casing; this prevents thieves from triggering manual access on palisade-style gates.
2. Install 180-degree detection beams to monitor gate movement.
3. Secure the motor’s theft-resistant cage with an insurance-rated padlock.
4. Weld flat bar onto the gate rack and fit anti-lift brackets to stop thieves from bending the rack.
5. Combine mechanical deterrents (cages, brackets) with electronic alarms, such as sound bombs or GSM notification units, that alert users when tampered with.
“Your electric gate should be one of the first perimeter deterrents. Activate early-warning systems like garden beams or electric fencing linked to armed response. We all need to make it harder for criminals—safeguard your gate motors,” Hattingh advised.
