Archive for the ‘Security & Home’ Category

Since early August, a company called SMC (Security Management Consultants) has been circulating a communiqué giving information on what to expect from census officials. This communiqué is based on a document relating to the 2010 Census conducted by the US Census Bureau, and contains a number of misleading facts, which in no way relates to the census being conducted in South Africa. The company concerned has since retracted this document; however, as it is still in circulation, Stats SA would hereby like to inform the public what they should expect. Read the rest of this entry »

Intelligence Network

The smart way to make a plan…

There is hardly a gathering of Highway residents where the conversation does not gravitate towards crime. I myself was broken into recently and the telemetry on my alarm system shows that the entire process from triggering the alarm to them leaving the premises took 2 minutes. Jack the guards off the window, grab some stuff and run.
It’s not always like this and crime does not always take this shape nor does it always manifest in this way. But this is the ‘Tssk Tssk’ type of crime that people talk about. We as people don’t like to be hurt or have our stuff taken. That’s a fair point. But how far can we go to bring about stability in our neighbourhoods? Read the rest of this entry »

Are they really our ‘Safe’ Haven?

In the last decade or so, many people have moved home into “gated” communities(GC’s). These have been marketed by developers as safe havens, out of crime’s reach where your children can ride their bicycles and you can relax on your lawn without fear of the criminal. The downside is that crime is still occurring in these communities where it is perceived that these are the precise places which are supposed to have the lowest crime threat. Note that I am including retirement villages, complexes and flats in this subject but my suggestions will apply to any property.
Boundary walls and fences.
If the fence around your complex is electrified, is it actually switched on or is the body corporate saving a few bucks? Look at the walls, especially corners and remote areas. How difficult would it really be to get over it? Do big trees hang over allowing someone to use the branches, or is the tree damaging the wall? Are cracks showing? Is the boundary lit at night? If you wanted to use that boundary as your entrance and escape, how would you do it? Read the rest of this entry »

What can we do to protect the elderly more?

Recently there has been a spate of housebreakings and house robberies in the Highway area that have Senior Citizens as their targets. This increase in attacks on elderly people has us worried. The seemingly unnecessary violence attached has us angry. I spoke to a few people, including some senior citizens themselves and got the following feedback. It must be noted that these points are not always true for every person, but I am merely quoting the responses I received.

• Elderly people injure easily. One doesn’t need to be that rough to tear skin or bruise.
• Elderly people have been known to fight back. Why?
• Because they don’t realize that they are weakened and believe they can overpower their attacker.
• Elderly people hold on to their possessions and don’t give them up easily.
• Criminals may become frustrated because elderly either don’t hear what they are being commanded or don’t understand or possibly don’t move fast enough leading to roughness.
• Because of sight and hearing loss, they are easy to sneak up to and if given a fright can fall or injure themselves.
• Elderly people have been known to be stubborn and refuse to obey the commands of a criminal. They may believe that due to their frail state, the suspect will not be physically violent.

Read the rest of this entry »

Do you know what gun you have in your house?

By Const. Stephen Clark

This article is not intended to open debate for or against the ownership or use of firearms, but merely enlighten the reader as to current events in legislation and view the situation through the eyes of those who are affected by it.

The re-writing of the Law regarding the ownership, possession of and use of firearms and ammunition by (law abiding) citizens of South Africa caused a lot of controversy. There were a lot of complaints from various factions of the gun owning community stating that the new law (Firearms Control Act of 2000) severely restricted the rights and privileges of lawful owners, be they competitive sportsmen, hunters, collectors, private security or recreational shooters, but did little to fight the illegal firearms which are causing the violent crime in the country.
There were, however, a couple of concessions in the new law which were welcomed with opened arms. (Pun intended)

Read the rest of this entry »

an example of poor visibility by the drive way, increasing the risk of being a possible target

One of the single most expensive personal things most of us will ever buy will be the houses we live in. We would think that being as such, we would want to look after and maintain it to the best of our abilities in order to keep its value. We would. Funny thing, well, not that funny, is that criminals recognise your investment too, and see it full of nice stuff that they want to steal. So, we go through the same process everyone else does: big fence with spikes, alarm, vicious Doberman, burglar guards and security gates….check! Read the rest of this entry »

The 21st Century Detective

Information supplied by The DNA Project 

South Africa has one of the highest murder rates and lowest conviction rates in the world. Criminals are not held accountable for their actions in a society that has become de-sensitised to the traumatic effects of crime on its people, economy and general morale. Murder, rape and violent crime have, sadly, become commonplace and every person living in South Africa has either been exposed to or affected by crime in some manner. The tenacious citizens of South Africa have braced themselves against this blight and searched for novel ways to prevail over crime.
DNA profiling is a technologically advanced method of tackling crime and has been aptly called the 21st Century Detective.

How does DNA profiling promote justice?
Forensic DNA evidence plays a vital role in criminal investigations because it can:
• Identify and help convict a suspect who is guilty of committing a crime.
• Prove the innocence of a suspect who has been wrongly accused of a crime.

Read the rest of this entry »

What To Be On The Look Out For:

1. Anything that seems out of place/not normal in  your area.

2.Strange vehicles cruising around in your area or parked with no apparent reason.
3. Strangers loitering where they should not be or where they are not normally present.
4. Unknown people calling at gates/doors of premises giving unlikely/contrived reasons.
5. People selling goods that are suspiciously cheap (likely to be stolen or counterfeit).
6. Pedestrians carrying large or expensive items in out of place circumstances and/or at unusual  times.
7. Unrelated people regularly hanging around schools/school children.
8. Unusual activities on premises e.g. excessive noise, vehicles being re-sprayed/dismantled, too many occupants, excessive coming and going of people or vehicles, visitors who stay for only a very short time etc.
9. Unauthorised people interfering with or pretending to be working on electrical or communication cables.
10. People burning or carrying burnt copper cable.
11. “Markers” that have been placed on properties or people who are placing “markers”.
12. People keeping premises’ under observation/surveillance and/or asking questions about the premises and its occupants.

Read the rest of this entry »

Here are some important safety tips for your home…..

•    When leaving on holiday with a trailer or caravan, leave your home at a time the street you live in is quiet – thus attracting the attention of less people to the fact that your dwelling will be abandoned.
•    Consider storing valuables at your place of work while being away from home.
•    Do not leave lights on during the day.
•    Do not leave any garden tools or ladders lying around outside your house or flat.
•    If possible ensure that the locks on outside doors are 4 lever locks.
•    Arrange with friends to frequent your house while you are away on holiday.
•    Ensure that those persons who are tasked to look after your residence know how the alarm operates and that they know whom to contact in case of an emergency.
•    To avoid your home from looking deserted, install a timer to keep some lights burning whilst you are away.
•    It is advisable to make a copy of your identity document, passport and credit card before going on holiday.  These copies can be certified by either your local police station or post office.

By ACT: Against Crime Together

Keep a record of serial numbers of all electronic equipment, appliances and jewellery, tv’s, hi-fi’s etc. for tracing purposes should a theft take place. How can you mark your valuables if they do not have serial numbers, or if like jewellery, you don’t want to deface them? Take photographs of them, a few from different angles. Print the photos, write on the back what the photos are of, and store them somewhere different like behind an existing picture or photo frame. If these valuables ever get stolen, it is a lot easier for the SAPS detective to canvass second hand stores and the like and identify them.