BLUE ALERT FOR THE WEEK PRECEEDING 18 MAY 2010

Crime affects us all. We know that…but it seems that we sometimes take the ‘it won’t happen to me’ stance.  High fences and ‘secure’ estates aren’t the safe havens that some people make them out to be. Don’t fool yourself - A criminal WILL get into a property if he really wants to. High walls, security beams, vicious attack dogs, alarm systems – they are all by-passable to a degree, if the criminal is smart enough.

Now, of course, we don’t want to scare you into thinking that nothing will ever protect you 100%, but we’ve got to be realistic. If the criminals use their heads to get in…we can use ours to keep them out.

Let’s take a look at what’s been going on this week.
 
Hillcrest, Shortlands Avenue. Armed Robbery - Residential (13 May 2010, 10:33)
Driveway gate was derailed. Gardener, who was cleaning the courtyard, was forced inside the house. Residents and gardener were forced lie on the floor by armed suspects. Two plasma TV’s and jewellery was stolen. Suspects fled in an unknown vehicle.

Kloof, Heaton Nicholls Road. Armed Robbery - Residential (13 May 2010, 11:49)
Suspects rang intercom on premises and stated to domestic worker that they had come to check on the power at premises. Suspects entered the premises. Two suspects, armed with handguns, ordered the maid and her daughter into the bedroom where they were then told to lie down on the floor. A flat screen TV, Playstation console and a plasma TV was stolen.

This is one of the most commonly used “cons” in the book. Please people! Ensure your staff never let anyone onto the property without your prior arrangement. Make it a rule!
    
Gillits, Emoyeni Drive. Armed Robbery - Residential (14 May 2010, 03:14)
Electric fence was cut and entry gained into complex. Three suspects knocked on resident’s door. When resident opened the door, they held him up at gunpoint and demanded his belongings. A flat screen TV and wallet were stolen. Suspects fled in resident’s Mercedes Benz.

Now, the lesson here is that you are never really 100% safe from crime – no matter where you live. People move into housing estates for the additional security and consequently let their guard down. The best advice we can give you is to practice the same safety measures that you would anywhere else. Don’t leave your windows and doors open or unlocked (yes, we know some of you don’t even lock your front doors at night!) and ensure that you don’t answer the door to any strange characters.
    
Isipingo, Dahlia Place. Hijacking (12 May 2010, 16:57)
A parent, who was fetching their child from school, was held up by 3 black males who produced a firearm. They hit him on his head with the firearm and fled in his red Toyota Corolla.

It can happen anywhere, anytime. Be wary and vigilant of your surroundings at all times.
    
Amanzimtoti, Coral Sands. Housebreaking - Residential (12 May 2010, 09:34)
Entry gained via the front window, burglar guards were bent in. A DVD player, laptop, child’s laptop, jewellery and an expensive watch was stolen.
    
Kloof, Buckingham Road. Housebreaking - Residential (13 May 2010, 03:18)
Suspects jumped over the wall. Entry gained by forcing open the rear office window. A laptop and LCD screen were stolen.
    
Glenwood / Glenmore, Davenport Road. Housebreaking - Residential (13 May 2010, 04:56)
Copper pipes were cut and stolen.         
    
Glenhills, Wisteria Grove. Housebreaking - Residential (13 May 2010, 11:57)
Driveway gate was derailed. Suspects smashed the lounge door down and gained entry into the premises.  A sewing machine was stolen.
    
Winston Park, Montgomery Drive. Housebreaking - Residential (13 May 2010, 14:10)
Resident was inside the house with her children when a black male suspect, carrying a knife, entered the premises via back door without her knowledge The resident’s sister-in-law, who had had been taking clothes off the washing line, noticed suspect inside the house and hid in the yard. She also observed a 2nd black male suspect waiting outside the property. Shortly thereafter the suspects fled, it was then established that two cell phones that were left in the kitchen area and R200 in cash was stolen.

We see all too often that suspects are able to enter a house through an open door or an open window, this is not a co-incidence, criminals walk the streets of our neighbourhoods looking for these opportunities – that’s why it is called an “opportunistic crime”. You can make a real difference by being security conscious and ensuring that you don’t inadvertently present opportunities to would be criminals. Good security is not about being paranoid, it’s about being aware.
    
Westville, Edgecott Road. Housebreaking - Residential (13 May 2010, 16:24)
Entry gained via the bedroom window. Jewellery was stolen.

Mmm, I wonder if the window was open?
           
Sarnia, Pastoll Road. Housebreaking - Residential (14 May 2010, 10:23)
Suspects detached the gate arm and opened driveway gate. Front gate was levered open with a crowbar and the door was forced open. A plasma TV was stolen.
    
Westville, Northbourne Avenue. Housebreaking - Residential (14 May 2010, 18:29)
Arm of the gate was removed and entry gained by forcing open front door. A flat screen TV and safe containing a firearm was stolen.

Did you know, statistics released by the SAPS in September 2009 suggest that “12 883 firearms were stolen in the 2008/2009 financial year”.
    
Durban North, Margaret Maytom Avenue. Housebreaking - Residential (14 May 2010, 20:33)
Driveway gates and kitchen door/gate was forced open. A TV and amplifier was stolen,
    
Kloof / Forest Hills, Pioneer Road. Housebreaking - Residential (15 May 2010, 08:54)
Suspects stole copper pipes from outside the property.
    
Winston Park, Tedder Road. Housebreaking - Residential (15 May 2010, 15:46)
Suspects broke the side arm on driveway gates. Entry gained by forcing open front door. Jewellery and a safe were stolen from premises.

These guys always go for the same things. High value items and the safe. Make sure you have a dummy safe in your bedroom cupboard (the first place these guys will look), and that your real safe is hidden somewhere really obscure.
    
Kloof / Forest Hills, Sailor Road. Housebreaking - Residential (15 May 2010, 15:55)
Entry was gained by kicking down the front door and security gate. A TV, laptop, camera and jewellery was stolen. Suspects also helped themselves to biscuits left on the table.

Crumbs! Is nothing sacred?
    
Westville, Morewood Crescent. Housebreaking - Residential (17 May 2010, 13:20)
Entry gained by forcing open rear toilet window. A laptop was stolen.
    
Kloof / Forest Hills, Krantzview Road. Housebreaking – Residential (17 May 2010, 15:29)
Three suspects cut the fence and entered premises. Entry gained by removing window pane. A LCD screen was stolen.
    
Kloof / Forest Hills, Buckingham Road. Housebreaking - Residential (17 May 2010, 22:59)
Driveway gate was forced open. Entry gained by forcing open kitchen door and gate. A cell phone, camera and jewellery were stolen.
    
Morningside, Windermere Road. Housebreaking - Business (12 May 2010, 06:18)
Suspects gained entry by breaking window pane. A DSTV decoder was stolen.
    
Assegai, Fraser Road. Housebreaking - Business (12 May 2010, 19:23)
Suspects broke into the unprotected nursery area. A petty cash box was stolen. Thereafter suspects attempted to break into the main building, but were unable to gain access.
    
Morningside, Poplar Road. Housebreaking - Business (13 May 2010, 04:31)
Suspects derailed front driveway gates. Entry was gained by breaking a window at the bar section. A flat screen TV was stolen.
    
Pinetown, Underwood Road. Housebreaking - Business (14 May 2010, 07:52)
Suspects cut barbed wire fencing at the back of the premises and jumped over. No entry was gained into the main building, but some tools and wheel rims were stolen from a vehicle parked in the carport area.
    
Westmead, Clark Road. Housebreaking – Business (14 May 2010, 07:55)
Entry gained via the back window. Tools and safety foot wear was stolen from premises.
    
Westmead, Macarange Close. Housebreaking - Business (15 May 2010, 06:23)
Front gate forced open and entry gained via 2nd floor door. A number of computers were stolen.

Durban North, Forrest Drive. Housebreaking – Business (17 May 2010, 05:28)
Entry gained by breaking roller shutter glass door. Suspects stole cash and alcohol.

Westville, Jan Hofmeyer Road. Mugging – Assault (17 May 2010, 19:07)
Tenant arrived home and was about to enter the basement at the rear of the premises, when she was approached from behind by a black male. Suspect grabbed her handbag and fled over the fence into the bushes. Handbag contained 2 cell phones, bankcards and a gym kit.
    
Chatsworth, Wattle Place. Mugging – Assault (17 May 2010, 23:46)
Four black males assaulted resident and fled the scene. No serious injuries were sustained and nothing was stolen.
    
Amanzimtoti, Willow Creek Theft (12 May 2010, 08:46)
Two black males jumped over resident's fence and gained access to the yard. Scrap metal from the yard was stolen.
    
Umhlanga Ridge, Solstice Road. Theft (13 May 2010, 13:24)
Three black males entered the premises posing as customers. Later it was found that a Nokia cell phone had been stolen.
    
Amanzimtoti, Galleria Mall. Theft (15 May 2010, 13:21)
Two black females entered the premises. A handbag was stolen. Manager chased the suspect who fled and threw the bag on the floor.

These guys and girls usually work in groups of three or more. Some of them distract the shop staff of shoppers whilst the others grab the goods or pickpocket the shopper. They’re very good at what they do.
        
Gillitts, Sandra Place. Theft of Motor Vehicle (14 May 2010, 06:03)
Front driveway gate was derailed and entry was gained onto property. A blue Mazda 323 (NPS 604172) parked in the front yard was stolen.
    
Gillitts, Bartle Road. Theft out of Motor Vehicle (12 May 2010, 03:51)
Suspects had gained access by jumping over the resident's fence. They broke side window of Toyota bakkie. A radio and speaker was stolen.
    
Bothas Hill, Old Main Road. Theft out of Motor Vehicle (12 May 2010, 11:09)
Suspects broke front passenger window of green VW citi Golf that was parked inside the garage.  It was not ascertained how the suspects gained entry into the garage as the garage door was locked and no points of entry were found. A handbag was stolen from the vehicle.
    
Glenwood / Glenmore, Grosvenor Road. Theft out of Motor Vehicle (15 May 2010, 07:06)
A CD player was stolen from VW Golf parked in the yard.

SUCCESSES

Kloof / Forest Hills, Emolweni Road. (13 May 2010, 07:23)
Suspect was found hiding in a granny flat. When Flying squad approached the suspect he tried to pull out a firearm. The SAPS shot him twice in the chest and he died on the scene.

Enough said!

Hillcrest, Highbury Road. Housebreaking - Residential (13 May 2010, 05:37)
Suspect jumped over palisade fencing. A garden fork was used by suspect to force open the burglar guards on a window, which was left open. A DVD player, set of keys to the premises, calculator, cosmetics and alcohol was stolen. Suspect was apprehended on the other side of the property and the stolen items were recovered.

Westriding, Leslie Road. Housebreaking – Residential (13 May 2010, 22:41)
Two black males opened the gate and walked through the security gate and door which was left open (weren’t we just talking about this a bit earlier). Suspects took 2 cell phones and resident's hand bag. As they were looking through the house, the resident walked into the room. One of suspects grabbed her by the throat and pushed her to the floor. When she started to scream the suspects fled. The neighbour heard the screaming and pressed the panic button. The neighbour and Blue Security Reaction Officer gave chase. Both suspects were apprehended. All the stolen items were recovered.

Phew…thank goodness for good neighbours, panic buttons and Blue Security.

Gillitts, Forbes Drive. Housebreaking - Residential (14 May 2010, 04:34)
Suspects jumped over front wall and crawled underneath the beams. Entry gained by breaking window which was not secured by burglar guards. Alarm was activated on entry. Suspects fled the scene.

Okay…so they knew what to look for outside the premises, and cleverly by-passed the exterior beams, but the layered security got them eventually when they broke the window to gain entry inside.

Morningside, Henwood Road. Housebreaking - Business (16 May 2010, 03:56)
Rear window pane was neatly removed and the door forced open. Blue Security Reaction Officer apprehended the 2 suspects. Stolen jewellery, from the neighbouring property, was found on the suspects.
   
Glenwood / Glenmore, Manning Road. Housebreaking - Residential (17 May 2010, 10:52)
One of two suspects who broke into premises was apprehended. The other fled the scene.
    
Durban North, Briare Lane. Housebreaking - Residential (17 May 2010, 12:26)
Resident heard glass breaking. When he opened the door he saw two black males. They assaulted the resident. Suspects fled when the resident’s dogs entered.

Well done Woofles!!
    
Westville, Foreman Road. Housebreaking - Residential (18 May 2010, 03:10)
Suspects jumped over front wall and entered the property. They then opened the unlocked garage roller door which activated the alarm. Suspects fled the scene empty handed.
   
Westville, Brickfield Road. Housebreaking - Business (17 May 2010, 03:59)
Suspects forced opened the front double glass doors to gain entry into premises. Suspects attempted to remove the plasma screen TV, which was mounted on the wall, but failed. Suspects fled when the alarm activated.

Morningside, 9th Avenue. Theft (17 May 2010, 19:33)
Blue Security Reaction Officer was patrolling in Florida Road when he was stopped by a member of the public who advised him that that he had spotted a car guard who had stolen his cell phone the previous night. The Blue Security Reaction Officer apprehended the suspect.

Clearly this totsi is not the sharpest tool in the shed, coming back to the same area, the night after stealing a cell phone…duh! You get the clever criminals, but you can get some really dof ones too.

Attempted housebreaking where nothing was confirmed stolen:

Amanzimtoti, Wessex Drive (15 May 2010, 04:50)
Assagay, Hawkstone Road (16 May 2010, 13:32)
Assagay, Umhlatuzana Road (12 May 2010, 15:29)
Briardene, North Coast Road (14 May 2010, 03:28)
Clairwood, Archary Road (16 May 2010, 06:27)
Durban Central, Atterbury Road (17 May 2010, 10:20)
Durban Central, Morrison Street (16 May 2010, 08:09)
Durban Central, Stamfordhill Road (16 May 2010, 07:54)
Durban Central, West Street (16 May 2010, 21:51)
Durban, Albert Street (14 May 2010, 04:44)
Gillitts, Noelle Road (13 May 2010, 11:07)
Hillcrest, Knelsby Avenue (12 May 2010, 22:23)
Kloof, Uve Road (13 May 2010, 04:48)
Musgrave, St Thomas Road (15 May 2010, 03:56)
New Germany, Paul Street (14 May 2010, 09:18)
Overport, Brickfield Road (14 May 2010, 04:21)
Pinetown, Charles Mowat Road (17 May 2010, 23:27)
Reservoir Hills, Annet Drive (13 May 2010, 13:53)
Umbilo, Gale Street (16 May 2010, 11:12)
Westmead, Impola Road (18 May 2010, 02:53)
Westmead, Leeukop Road (16 May 2010, 22:14)
Winston Park, Piet Retief Road (16 May 2010, 08:23)
Yellowwood Park, Turnway Road (14 May 2010, 19:00)