BLUE ALERT #140 FOR THE WEEK PRECEDING 22 MARCH 2011 

Have you noticed that the panoramic view from Umhlanga to the Bluff has been even more breathtaking of late. Early morning, the sea is azure and as smooth as glass. It’s the perfect weather to take a leisurely sail or boat trip along the coast and admire Durban’s majestic beauty from another vantage point.  But, back to reality for now.  We all know that excellent customer service is good for sales. But did you know that excellent customer service can protect you from crime, too? Here’s why. Criminals usually visit or scout out a premises prior to a robbery and they don’t normally like places where staff are alert and have clearly seen them. A professional approach by staff members, who follow procedures, sends a strong message to offenders that the premises are well run and likely to be more challenging for criminals during a robbery. Makes you think.

Westridge, Tighard Avenue. Armed Robbery - Residential (17 March 2011, 12:55:18)
Two black males forced their way into the house and held up the domestic worker. A flat screen TV and Hi-Fi were stolen.

Things a burglar won’t tell you: “Sometimes I come to your gate and ask to cut your grass. Sometimes I pose as a municipal worker wanting to read your electricity or water meter. And, sometimes I ask for a few minutes of your time to participate in a survey. I do my best never to look like a crook.”

Rossburgh, Jaco Place. Armed Robbery - Business (15 March 2011, 22:35:13)
Six black males armed with firearms entered the premises and held up a hyster driver at gun point. The suspects tied up the driver and loaded 40 bales of clothing onto the back of a bakkie and into a truck before fleeing.

Mobeni, Grimsby Road. Armed Robbery - Business (20 March 2011, 18:27:27)
The manager was held up at gun point by two  black males. R 1 000 in cash was stolen.

Durban Central, Prince Street. Armed Robbery - Business (21 March 2011, 10:51:56)
Two black males armed with firearms walked onto the premises and held up the staff. The suspects opened the safe and
R 25 000 in cash and a Nokia cell phone were stolen.

Glenmore, Levenhall Road. Hijacking - Residential (18 March 2011, 7:45:24)
The owner of a silver Mercedes Benz Elegance registration, ND 285-945, was hijacked at gunpoint by four males when she returned to her vehicle which was parked outside the driveway to the premises.

Glenwood, Manning Road. Gatecrashing - Residential (16 March 2011, 8:11:03)
The driveway gates were derailed and the front door was forced open. A shower-head fitting, two taps, a stainless steel braai and copper water pipes were stolen.

Cowies Hill, Woodside Avenue. Gatecrashing - Residential (19 March 2011, 14:50:23)
The driveway gates were derailed and an entrance gate and door were forced open. A TV, Hi-Fi and an unknown quantity of electrical appliances were stolen.

Westville, Sylvania Avenue. Gatecrashing - Residential (19 March 2011, 21:54:19)
The driveway gate was derailed and the front door forced open. A TV and an unknown quantity of jewellery were stolen.

Kloof, Quentin Smythe Road. Gatecrashing - Residential (19 March 2011, 15:37:44)
The driveway gates were derailed and the security gate and front door smashed open with a crow bar. A 32" plasma screen TV was stolen.

Gatecrashing remains a common practice in the Highway area.  Installing a magnetic lock on your driveway gate and external motion detector beams can limit and deter and criminals access to your property.

Hillary, Felixstowe Avenue. Theft of a Motor Vehicle - Residential (20 March 2011, 4:15:17)
A black Golf Chicco Registration, ND 566 991, was stolen from the yard and mag wheels were stolen from a silver Golf 4.

Hatton Estate, Lanwood Road. Housebreaking - Residential (15 March 2011, 16:28:14)
A window was forced open and the burglar guard pushed in. A TV and DVD player were stolen.

Glen Anil, Sagewood Way. Housebreaking - Residential (15 March 2011, 19:06:48)
Suspects entered the property through the driveway gates and forced open the front door and security gate. Two laptops, two plasma screen TVs, a PlayStation, a Nintendo, computers and jewellery were stolen.

Pinetown, Dumbril Crescent. Housebreaking - Residential (16 March 2011, 9:33:06)
The lock on the front gate was cut and the security gate and front door were forced open. A microwave oven and a kettle were stolen.

Westville, Winston Road. Housebreaking - Residential (16 March 2011, 11:46:44)
Suspects bent the spikes on the perimeter fence and climbed over the wall.  The window of the outbuilding window was broken and R19 was stolen from a table.

Waterfall, Howick Drive. Housebreaking - Residential (16 March 2011, 17:14:05)
Suspects forced open a bathroom window and burglar guards. A camera and two laptops were stolen.

Winston Park, Roosevelt Road. Housebreaking - Residential (18 March 2011, 8:10:05)
Two bicycles were stolen from the garage. There was no sign of forced entry.

Glen Hills, Elderberry Drive. Housebreaking - Residential (19 March 2011, 14:50:23)
Suspects removed the burglar guard from a bedroom window and an unknown quantity of jewellery was stolen.

Winston Park, Tedder Road. Housebreaking - Residential (19 March 2011, 19:09:28)
Suspects forced open the dining room door. Two laptops, a flat screen TV and an unknown quantity of jewellery were stolen.

Reservoir Hills, Whittaker Avenue. Housebreaking - Residential (20 March 2011, 17:36:21)
Suspects removed glass from a window and pushed in the burglar guards. A video camera, digital camera, cell phone and an unknown quantity of cash and jewellery were stolen.

Illovo Beach, CNR of Old Main Road. Housebreaking - Residential (22 March 2011, 10:51:56)
A window was smashed and an unknown quantity of cash and cigarettes were stolen.
 
Morningside, Gordon Road. Housebreaking - Residential (22 March 2011, 2:20:17)
Suspects forced open a window to a cottage on the property. A laptop was stolen.

Hillcrest, Emoyeni Road. Housebreaking - Residential (22 March 2011, 3:17:04)
Suspects broke a glass door and a laptop was stolen.

Lotus Park, Lotus Drive. Housebreaking - Business (17 March 2011, 4:28:52)
The security gate and front door were forced open. Cigarettes and R 1 000 in cash were stolen.

Opening and closing are two very vulnerable times. Staff need to be aware that they must be extra vigilant at opening time and in the lead up to closing time. Ensure that you have the right procedures in place and that staff are fully trained in what to do if they find something suspicious or should they be attacked.

Pinetown, Glenuge Road. Housebreaking - Business (18 March 2011, 8:42:01)
Suspects broke the padlock to a storeroom door and a radio and paint were stolen.

Greyville, St Mary's Avenue. Housebreaking - Business (19 March 2011, 15:18:10)
A grass cutter was stolen from a storeroom.

Carrington Heights, Oliver Lea Drive. Theft - Residential (16 March 2011, 10:23:29)
Copper water pipes were stolen from the premises.

Greenwood Park. Park Station Road. Theft - Business (16 March 2011, 1:59:38)
A hosepipe was stolen from the premises. The suspects attempted to steal bags of cement but fled when they saw the client.

Pinetown, Kings Road. Theft - Business (19 March 2011, 6:37:17)
A spare tyre was stolen from a black Opel Corsa bakkie parked on the street.

Durban, Florida Road. Theft out of a Motor Vehicle - Residential (20 March 2011, 3:49:37)
Suspects broke into a VW bakkie parked on the street and stole a Hi-Fi.

SUCCESSES
Padfied Park, Padley Street. Hijacking - Residential (16 March 2011, 6:47:03)
The resident's daughter stopped her vehicle outside the property to shut the driveway gates. A black male approached her, jumped into the vehicle and drove away. The vehicle which had a tracking device installed was recovered in Claremont.

Pinetown, Richmond Road. Housebreaking - Residential (17 March 2011, 14:13:13)
The domestic worker reported that she noticed a suspect in the bushes and that clothing had been stolen from the line. The suspect was apprehended by a Reaction Officer and an Adidas tracksuit and a knife were recovered.

Umbilo, Hillier Road. Housebreaking - Residential (18 March 2011, 2:23:55)
Suspects broke into a caravan parked in the yard and stole a duvet, toiletries and a sleeping bag. The sleeping bag, duvet and toiletries were recovered in a nearby park.

Glenwood, Brand Road. Housebreaking - Residential (18 March 2011, 8:31:34)
The pedestrian gate was forced open and a kitchen window was broken. Two suspects were apprehended close to the property by Reaction Officers and arrested by SAPS.

Botha's Hill Rob Roy Crescent. Housebreaking - Business (19 March 2011, 14:34:20)
Suspects used a stick to lift the electric fence and roll underneath it into the property. A Reaction Officer apprehended the suspect and nothing was reported stolen.

Durban, Commercial Road. Housebreaking - Business (22 March 2011, 3:40:03)
Suspects gained entry to the premises through an open window at the back of the building. A computer and a safe were recovered.

Glenwood, Risdale Road. Theft - Residential (16 March 2011, 1:42:56)
The resident reported that suspects jumped over the perimeter wall and stole garden chairs and other items from the yard. It is reported that the suspects were later apprehended by an off-duty police officer.

Manor Gardens, Archer Crescent. Theft out of a Motor Vehicle - Residential (16 March 2011, 15:38:35)
A Blue Reaction Officer on patrol noticed a black male attempting to unlock the driver's door of a VW Polo parked on the verge. The Reaction Officer apprehended the suspect who was arrested by the SAPS.

Hillcrest, Mill Road. Attempted Housebreaking - Residential (18 March 2011, 3:32:36)
Suspects broke an unsecured verandah window but fled when the alarm activated
 

Umbilo, Shelley Place. Trespassing - Residential (19 March 2011, 23:51:45)
The resident reported that a black male and a black female jumped over the front perimeter wall. The black male fled when he noticed the resident. The female suspect was apprehended by a Reaction Officer.

Attempted housebreaking where nothing was confirmed stolen:
Amanzimtoti, Entombeni Drive (19 March 2011, 17:46:13)
Foresthills, Sherwood Drive Unit 1 (15 March 2011, 21:10:56)
Greyville, 1st Avenue (21 March 2011, 3:57:46)
Hillary, Victoria Road (18 March 2011, 14:04:53)
Hillcrest, Fischer Road (21 March 2011, 1:05:48)
Kloof, Fairview Road (18 March 2011, 10:43:30)
Montclair, South Coast Road (17 March 2011, 22:31:38)
Morningside, Innes Road (17 March 2011, 10:42:55)
Morningside, Stamfordhill Road (20 March 2011, 16:05:25)
Morningside, St Thomas Avenue (19 March 2011, 6:35:25)
New Germany, Shepstone Road (21 March 2011, 9:50:13)
Parkhill, Station Ridge Road (19 March 2011, 9:36:50)
Pinetown, Lauth Road (19 March 2011, 21:10:34)
Westville, Regent Place (16 March 2011, 2:59:24)

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

The Blue Alert Team