BLUE ALERT # 138 FOR ALL AREAS FOR THE WEEK PRECEDING 8 MARCH 2011

Phew! The sweltering heat and humidity are over and we’re now in the best month of summer.  Now’s the time to enjoy the last remaining days of summer – winter will be here all too soon. All the same, criminal activity continues no matter what the weather and the number of serious crimes this week is concerning.  Just remember if you’re the victim of an armed robbery or confronted in your home by intruders, remain calm, do not make a noise or any sudden movements and keep your hands visible and your eyes down and they pretty much leave you alone and get on with their business.

Let’s take a more detailed look at what’s been going on this week.

Pinetown, Locksley Drive. Hijacking - Residential (2 March 2011, 20:43:57)
The owner of a white Jetta was hijacked at the resident's premises. 

Durban North, Umhlanga Rocks Drive. Armed Robbery - Business (6 March 2011, 13:21:12)
Two black males armed with a knife and firearm approached the client while he was locking the premises. R40 000 and keys to the premises were stolen.

Pinetown, Annerley Road. Armed Robbery - Pedestrian (1 March 2011, 15:10:38)
A school boy walking home was held at knife point by two suspects and robbed of an unknown amount of cash.

Kloof, Meadow Lane. Theft of a Motor Vehicle - Residential (1 March 2011, 11:21:39)
The suspects entered the house through a door, tied up the domestic worker and fled in the resident’s new Landrover.

Sunningdale, Meadow Lane. Gatecrashing / Theft of a Motor Vehicle - Residential (2 March 2011, 19:45:48)
Suspects forced open the driveway gate and a Nissan Sky-Line, registration CY 315 291, parked in the driveway was stolen.  

Kloof, Krantzview Road. Gatecrashing / Attempted Housebreaking - Residential (1 March 2011, 22:20:34)
The suspect derailed and forced open the driveway gate. The residents noticed the suspect walking past the lounge window and the suspect fled.

Criminals often case out premises before a break in. Draw curtains at night so that family activity can't be observed. 

Durban North, Inverness Crescent. Gatecrashing / Attempted Theft of a Motor Vehicle - Residential (1 March 2011, 6:28:42)
The driveway gate was forced open and the suspects walked into the garage through an open door and tampered with the resident's Toyota 4x4.

Botha's Hill, Nquma Road. Housebreaking - Residential (28 February 2011, 12:50:12)
Suspects entered the house through an open window and ransacked the downstairs rooms. It was not known at the time what was taken. The domestic worker reported seeing three suspects on the premises.

Padfield Park, Padfied Road. Housebreaking - Residential (28 February 2011, 15:30:00)
A window frame at the back of the premises was removed and a laptop was stolen.

Crestholme, Jeanne Howes Place. Housebreaking - Residential (1 March 2011, 10:41:29)
Suspects smashed a centre window and cut the burglar guard. A plasma screen TV was stolen.

Kloof, Krantzview Road. Housebreaking - Residential (1 March 2011, 23:47:25)
Suspects cut the lock on a front security gate. A window to the bar area was forced open and bolt cutters were used to cut through the burglar guard. A flat screen TV, an iPod, takkies, a wallet containing about R5 000 in cash and an unknown quantity of alcohol and jewellery were stolen.   

Glenwood, Kildare Road. Housebreaking - Residential (1 March 2011, 6:29:55)
Suspects forced open a window. A TV, microwave oven and garden tools were stolen.

New Germany, Oberreuter Road. Housebreaking - Residential (1 March 2011, 8:51:05)
The burglar guard on a bedroom window was pulled out and the suspects entered the main bedroom. A video camera, camera and jewellery were stolen.

Gillitts, Elizabeth Drive. Housebreaking - Residential (2 March 2011, 9:22:02)
Suspects broke the glass on a back sliding door. A plasma screen TV and a PlayStation were stolen.

Glenashley, Burne Crescent. Housebreaking - Residential (3 March 2011, 2:21:35)
Suspects entered the house through an open, unsecured window. Two Blackberry cell phones, a Nokia cell phone, a laptop, Garmen and a handbag containing an ID book, driver's licence and R1 500 in cash were stolen. The alarm was not armed at the time.
 

An open, unsecured window = an open invitation to criminals. Plus, had the alarm been activated it would likely have sent the criminals fleeing. 

Durban North, Margaret Maytom Avenue. Housebreaking - Residential (3 March 2011, 9:28:19)
The suspects walked into the domestic worker's room through an open door. A wallet containing R60 in cash and bank cards were stolen.

Durban, St George's Street. Housebreaking - Residential (6 March 2011, 8:43:23)
Suspects gained entry to the flat through an open, unsecured kitchen window. A laptop was stolen.

Morningside, Nuttal Gardens. Housebreaking - Residential (6 March 2011, 23:16:34)
Suspects forced open a pedestrian door and entered the property. A bicycle and food were stolen from a cottage on the premises. There was no sign of forced entry.

Talk about eating on the run!  Mmmm… could the perpetrator possibly have had a key? Might be a good idea to change the locks.

Durban North, Stirling Crescent . Housebreaking - Resident (6 March 2011, 16:53:24)
Suspects broke a window and pushed in the burglar guard. A laptop was stolen.

Hillcrest, Knelsby Avenue. Gatecrashing - Residential (6 March 2011, 16:13:36)
Suspects forced open the driveway gate, the security gate and front door. A Hi-Fi, speakers and video recorder were stolen.

Westriding, Ashley Road. Housebreaking - Residential (6 March 2011, 16:56:44)
Supsects forced open the front door. A TV, three cell phones, an AMP and a mini Hi-Fi were stolen.

Hillcrest, Gillitts Road U7. Housebreaking - Residential (7 March 2011, 22:42:44)
Suspects used a key to enter the house. An X-Box and plasma screen TV were stolen.

New Germany, Bofield Road. Housebreaking - Business (28 February 2011, 11:15:49)
Suspects broke a kitchen window and entered the house.  A plasma screen TV and an AMP were stolen.
 
Wyebank, Wyebank Road. Housebreaking - Business. (4 March 2011, 2:52:33)
A pole was used to smash a widow and the suspects stole cigarettes.

Umbilo, Umbilo Road. Housebreaking - Business (6 March 2011, 14:21:35)
Suspects jumped over the back wall and used a goods lift to enter the first floor warehouse. And unknown amount of goods were stolen and the suspects stole copper pipes from the wall.

Durban, Gale Street. Housebreaking - Business (7 March 2011, 8:57:31)
Suspects abseiled from the roof and forced open a window and the burglar guard. An unknown quantity of shoes were fished out through a window. 

Who dunnit? Spider-Man or the psychedelic caterpillar spotted outside a shoe factory a couple of weeks back?

Morningside, Edgecourt Road. Theft out of a Motor Vehicle - Residential (1 March 2011, 6:46:06)
Suspects forced open a door and stole a gym bag, takkies and a cell phone.

New Germany, Shepstone Road. Theft - Business (28 February 2011, 6:14:45)
Suspects stole copper pipes from an exterior wall. 

Morningside, Florida Road. Theft - Business (1 March 2011, 9:50:09)
A laptop was stolen from the premises. There was no sign of forced entry.

Sherwood, Cutfield Place. Theft - Business (2 March 2011, 19:40:22)
Suspects stole copper pipes from the exterior walls of the premises.
 
Morningside, Innes Road. Theft - Business (7 March 2011, 5:21:11)
Suspects entered the premises through an unlocked pedestrian gate.  Copper pipes were removed from the exterior walls.  
The suspects fled when they saw the security guards. 

SUCCESSES
Morningside, Springfield Crescent. Housebreaking - Residential (28 February 2011, 4:58:58)
A suspect involved in a break-in on the premises was apprehended and arrested by SAPS at the corner of Argyle and Florida Roads. He was armed with a knife and a wallet and Nokia cell phone were recovered. 

Westville, Methven Road. Housebreaking - Residential (28 February 2011, 4:46:01)
A lounge window was forced open and the suspects opened the lounge door with a key. A TV and DVD were stolen. The DVD was recovered.

Assagay, Clement Stott Road. Housebreaking - Residential (4 March 2011, 0:21:37)
Two suspects broke down the back door.  The resident locked herself in the bedroom and the suspects forced open the bedroom door and demanded the resident handover her car keys and cell phone. The suspects fled when the Blue Reaction Officer arrived at the scene. The Reaction Officer gave chase and the suspects dropped a TV, DVD player and computer screen on the road which were recovered.  The suspects fled with the resident’s handbag. 

A terrifying ordeal for this resident. Well done to the determined Blue Reaction Officer who chased these cowards and managed to claim back most of the resident’s possessions.   

Durban North, Station Ridge Road. Housebreaking - Residential (6 March 2011, 9:43:14)
Suspects broke a front bedroom window and forced in the burglar guard. A DVD player was stolen and recovered by the Reaction Officer on Haig Road.

Umbilo, Alpha Crescent. Housebreaking - Business (3 March 2011, 1:30:05)
Suspects gained entry to the premises through a window at the back of the premises and ransacked an office. Uniforms and a computer were recovered from the passage.

Attempted theft where nothing was confirmed stolen:
Berea, Musgrave Road (6 March 2011, 11:24:40)
Botha's Hill, Clement Stott Road.  (28 February 2011, 14:40:43)
Botha's Hill, Old Main Road  (28 February 2011, 14:16:45)
Durban, Pine Street (6 March 2011, 14:12:34)
Durban, West Street (2 March 2011, 4:05:16)
Glen Hills, Ebony Drive (6 March 2011, 13:23:12)
Glenwood, Frere Road (7 March 2010, 18:25:19)
Hillcrest, St Hellier Road (3 March 2010, 6:59:05)
Kloof, Coghill Avenue (4 March 2011, 19:26:11)
Kloof, Fairview Road  (4 March 2011, 22:57:02)
Kloof, Ukozi Road (1 March 2011, 23:32:30)
Manor Gardens, Rand Road (3 March 2011, 10:48:22)
Manor Gardens, Queen Elizabeth Avenue (28 February 2011, 19:33:20)
Morningside, Imeson Road (3 March 2011, 19:15:39)
Summerveld, Sugarhill View (28 February 2011, 23:53:54)
Westville North. Struan Avenue. (7 March 2010, 14:10:09)

That’s it from us for now. Stay alert and stay safe.

The Blue Alert Team