Reminders for all residents and visitors
As the festive season approaches, people are inclined to let their guard down as they relax and enter holiday mode. This gives opportunists the openings they want. So, how do we keep ourselves, our homes and vehicles safe during this time and avoid spending time at police stations and banks, on the phone to insurers and in long queues to replace personal documents?
Personal Safety
Be careful when in crowded areas as these places give criminals the opportunity to snatch valuables and get away quickly.
Be careful with your valuables. Stash them, don’t flash them! Keep valuables out of sight, especially in vehicles.
Be aware of your surroundings: Is someone following you to your car? Are people ‘invading your personal space’ in crowded places? Does something feel off? Trust your instincts.
Don’t leave your handbag in the trolley or leave parcels where someone can grab them and run.
Try to avoid holding your cellphone in your hand when waiting in the street for an Uber.
And, please don’t leave your cellphone in your back pocket, or even in the side pocket of your clothing!! That’s a pickpocket’s dream.
Be more alert when walking in malls or other public places – organised groups of criminals target unsuspecting people when they are at their most vulnerable or distracted.
When sitting at a restaurant, keep your personal belongings close to you. Don’t leave bags or any other valuable items (eg. Keys, cellphones, laptops, etc) under tables or on empty chairs. Cross-body bags or waist purses are really useful at times when you need your hands free.
Wearing expensive jewellery will also make you a target. Rather keep your precious items safely locked away at home when venturing out into busy public spaces.
If you are carrying pepper spray when out and about, know how and when to use it.
When using an e-hailing or public transport, alert a trusted person to your whereabouts. Parents could use a tracker device on their children’s cellphones.
Safety in the Home
Keep safety gates locked, even when you are at home.
Ensure that fire extinguishers are filled and available close to braai areas, for example.
Get a house sitter to look after your property, especially if you have pets.
If you don’t have a house sitter, ask a trusted neighbour or friend to switch the outside lights on and off. It is also useful to switch the inside lights on and off so that the property isn’t obviously unoccupied.
Swimming pools should be fenced and any minors who might be tempted by the water must be guarded closely.
Be aware that criminals cut the electricity supply to the alarms of homes. Similarly, the motor of remote gates can be sabotaged.
Alert your security company that you will be away from home.
Remove any objects within the garden that can give criminals an opportunity to climb over gates or through windows.
AirBnB owners and agents must ensure that visitors to the area are aware of any safety and security measures that should be taken.
Below, you will find an action plan from Fidelity ADT that you could begin to implement now, ahead of the holiday season:
1. Test your home security solutions, including alarm system, battery back-up, outdoor beams, electric fencing, CCTV security cameras and fire alarm systems. This is a simple call to the company in charge of your 24/7 security monitoring. If they pick up any problems these can be scheduled for repair well in advance of the festive season, which is the busiest time of the year for service technicians.
2. Check for vulnerabilities in your current security, like foliage interfering with your electric fence or places that provide a foothold for someone to climb over the wall.
3. Check lighting around the house and install sensor lights in strategic places if needed. You can never have too much lighting – put the spotlight on intruders!
4. Why not arrange for a casual guarding service? This has the added benefit of someone physically on site and the back-up of armed response services.
5. Check your perimeter. Do you need an added layer of security like an electric fence linked to round-the-clock security surveillance?
6. Check window latches and door locks are all working properly. No windows should be unprotected, no matter how small they are. There is a wide range of aesthetically pleasing options instead of traditional burglar bars to choose from today, including electronic sensors and invisible security beams.
7. Book your home or pet sitter. Dogs are valuable early warning systems and a good deterrent. Make sure they are looked after while you’re away so that they are in top form to keep looking after your property.
Vehicle Security
Don’t leave items on the seats of your car or in the footwells when parking on the street or at malls. These items draw the attention of criminals who are experts at smashing windows, grabbing the parcels and leaving you with a broken window and endless calls to make!
When parking on the street, leave the cubby hole open to show that there is nothing inside to steal.
Use cable ties to secure hubcaps to the wheels. This is not a foolproof method, but it does slow the process down of removing the hubcaps.
If you are going away for a while and don’t have a secure spot for your vehicle, ask a neighbour or friend to keep an eye on it and leave a spare key with a trusted person in case it needs to be moved for whatever reason.
If you are travelling and you have a vehicle tracker installed in your car, let your service provider know.
Remember the old saying: It is better to be safe than sorry!
IMPORTANT NUMBERS
WATCHCOM – 021 422 4222
SAPS Central – 021 467 8001/2
LE / Fire / Ambulance – 021 480 7700
Cellphone Emergency Number – 112
ER24 – 084124
Netcare – 082911
FADT – 0861212300
CBAR – 0860151515
Street People Unit (SPU) – 0800 872 201
SANPARKS – 021 957 4700 / 0861 106 417
SPCA – 021 700 4140 / 083 326 1604 (a/h)
