Homeowners advised to check helpers
CRAIGHALL PARK - Police have issued a warning to residents to apply rigorous caution when employing helpers at their homes.
POLICE have issued a warning to residents to apply rigorous caution when employing helpers.
Homeowners have been advised to conduct background and criminal checks on prospective and current employees.
Parkview police spokesperson Sergeant Lloyd Ramovha said this was necessary for safety reasons as helpers could be linked to house robberies. He said that in a recent house robbery in Craighall Park, CCTV footage shows a gardener carrying out his duties in the yard of his employer.
“He answered a call on his cellphone [and] appeared to be uneasy. He then walked towards the gate, peeped outside, and immediately a black vehicle appeared at the gate,” said Ramovha.
Four males got out of the car and gained entry to the property on Lancaster Avenue.
“The gardener appeared to be in cahoots with the suspects as he opened the gate for them,” said Ramovha.
Police arrested the gardener and charged him with being an accomplice to house robbery. He allegedly denied colluding with the robbery suspects. Police have launched an investigation and are searching for the other suspects.
Residents can go to their nearest police station and have their employees’ fingerprints cross-checked for any past criminal offences, which costs about R60.
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