BLUE ALERT # 156 FOR ALL AREAS FOR THE WEEK PRECEDING 26 JULY 2011 

Ashley, Strydrom Road. Hijacking - Residential (20 July 2011, 7:10:20)
Two black males armed with firearms confronted the resident outside her gate and fled in the resident’s silver VW Golf. A cell phone was also stolen.   

Gillitts,  Longforgen Road. Armed Robbery - Residential  (19 July 2011, 11:02:52)
Three suspects armed with a crowbar entered the yard in a white bakkie. The suspects assaulted the domestic workers and forced them to lie on the floor while the suspects ransacked the house. Two TVs, a microwave oven, a geyser were stolen.   

Yellowwood Park, Turn Way. Armed Robbery – Residential (21 July 2011, 19:57:23)    
Four suspects armed with firearms held up the residents and stole a blue Mercedes Benz registration number ND 200561. 

Springfield,  Mahoganyfield Way. Armed Robbery – Business (21 July 2011, 9:42:25)    

Suspects armed with firearms entered the premises. Two suspects entered the office and held up a female staff member at gun point. The suspects locked the employee in a cupboard and fled with cash.   

“If burglars really want to get into my home, they will.” This is a security myth that prevents many people from adequately protecting their homes and businesses. The truth is that in most cases a thief is looking to get in and get out in as little time as possible.    Electric fences and detection beams do deter robbers as the risk of setting off the alarm increases as the intruders enter the premises. CCTV cameras are an especially good deterrent to prevent thefts and robberies at businesses as the footage is admissible in court – and, as we know, criminals don’t like to show us their faces.

Forest Hills, King George Avenue. Housebreaking - Residential   (23 July 2011, 12:07:44)  
Suspects stole a shot gun, a flat screen TV, two safes, and jewellery. There was no sign of forced entry.

Sarnia,  Albers Road. Gatecrashing - Residential  (22 July 2011, 10:54:48) 
Suspects forced open the driveway gate and the front door. A flat screen TV was stolen.  

Berea, Springfield Road. Gatecrashing – Business  (19 July 2011, 4:50:51)  
Suspects derailed the driveway gate and forced open the front door. Four computers and a laptop were stolen.

Durban, Churchill Road. Gatecrashing – Business (25 July 2011, 5:43:41)  
Suspects derailed the driveway gate and forced open the door to the reception area of the premises. Four computers were stolen.   

Morningside, Hoffman Place.  Theft of a Motor Vehicle – Residential (19 July 2011, 19:27:15)
A Ford Granada, registration  number AAX373NC, was stolen from the premises. 

Gillitts,  Stockville Road. Housebreaking – Residential (19 July 2011, 8:22:09)   
Suspects forced open a bedroom window and stole a laptop. 

Forest Hills, Kloofview Road.  Housebreaking - Residential  (20 July 2011, 9:49:57) 
A lounge window was forced open and the burglar guard pushed in. Two jackets were stolen.

Two jackets! What a score in this freezing weather. 

Manors, Park Ridge Avenue. Housebreaking - Residential  (20 July 2011, 8:10:34)   
Suspects forced open a door to an outbuilding and removed copper pipes. 

Waterfall, Queens Crescent.  Housebreaking - Residential  (20 July 2011, 10:02:58) 
Suspects derailed the driveway gate and forced open the security gate and front door. Jewellery was stolen.   

Durban North, Acutts Road.  Housebreaking - Residential  (20 July 2011, 10:28:15)  
Suspects jumped over the fence from the neighbour's yard and entered the premises. A window and burglar guard were forced open and children's toys were stolen

Winston Park, Alexander Drive. Housebreaking - Residential (21 July 2011, 2:27:10)
Suspects removed the glass from a garage window. A weed eater was stolen.   

It is a big no-no to hire casual labour off the street; only hire on recommendation. Most of the casual labour wandering around our neighbourhoods armed with brush cutters and weed eaters (which are more often than not stolen) who offer to clean gardens are involved with the criminal element and are only scouting your home as a potential target for their next hit.

Moseley Park, Rushbrook Road.  Housebreaking – Residential (21 July 2011, 13:52:17) 
Suspects cut a hole in a window and entered the house. Two cell phones were stolen.  

Assagay, Gevers Road. Housebreaking – Residential (22 July 2011, 3:22:56)  
Suspects forced open the front door. A laptop was stolen.

Durban North, Stirling Crescent. Housebreaking - Residential  (23 July 2011, 18:07:16)
Suspects entered the premises by forcing open the main gate and breaking down the front door. The suspects attempted to break a security gate leading to the bedroom area of the house but were unsuccessful. The resident arrived home to find his front gate open and the suspects in the yard. The suspects fled in a vehicle, registration number ND 19461. 

It would have been an even better outcome had these criminals not been able to enter the resident’s home. Nevertheless, hat’s off to this resident for creating a “safe area” between the sleeping and living areas of the house that these criminals couldn’t penetrate.  Just a friendly reminder: always arm your alarm when you are not in residence and in the areas of your home that you are not occupying.  And, if your alarm equipment is a hassle to use, it time to think seriously about installing a user-friendly system.

Ashley, Marion Road. Housebreaking - Residential  (24 July 2011, 8:13:09)
Suspects broke a bedroom window and entered the house. Two laptops were stolen. 

Umhlatazana, 35th Avenue. Housebreaking - Residential  (24 July 2011, 16:10:39)   

Suspects forced open a window at the back of the premises and pushed in the burglar guard. Two rooms were ransacked and  jewellery was stolen.  

Mayville, Crestwalk Road. Housebreaking - Residential  (24 July 2011, 16:27:16)   
Suspects entered the house through a wooden panel above the toilet window and tied up the resident who is deaf. Items were stolen from the house.   

Umgeni Park, Anthony Road. Housebreaking – Business (20 July 2011, 5:16:22) 
Suspects forced open the front door and entered the premises. Six computers, two towers and three laptops were stolen.

Rossburgh, South Coast Road. Housebreaking – Business (20 July 2011, 9:01:17)  
Suspects broke a window and entered the premises. A laptop and a computer were stolen.

Morningside, Highfield Road. Housebreaking  - Business (22 July 2011, 5:14:04)  
Suspects kicked down a door and entered the premises. Computers were stolen. 

Umbilo,  Commodore Street. Housebreaking – Business (23 July 2011, 5:56:50) 
Suspects forced open a back door and entered the premises. Overalls and boots belonging to staff were stolen. A bag of scrap metal was recovered in the yard.   

Very strange that anyone would want to steal second-hand overalls. Not. Criminals often wear overalls over their street gear. Makes sense – the overalls don’t attract attention and help the criminals blend in, they keep the clothes clean,  and once the job is done the criminal looks different.

Durban North, Eastview Road. Theft – Residential (20 July 2011, 11:32:32) 
A suspect jumped over the perimeter wall and stole a handbag through an open kitchen window.

Westville North, Scone Place.  Theft – Residential (21 July 2011, 4:06:58)
Suspects stole two garden chairs. One chair was recovered outside the property.   

New Germany, Harbourth Avenue.  Theft – Residential (21 July 2011, 14:23:29) 
A battery from the driveway gate was stolen.

Many criminals are desperados who will steal anything from a battery to garden furniture just to have something to sell.

Pinetown, Manors Road.  Theft - Residential (21 July 2011, 14:59:56) 
A suspect jumped over the fence and walked into the resident's house while she was in the garden. A handbag containing an ID document  and R4 500 in cash was stolen. 

Berea, Clyde Road. Theft – Residential (22 July 2011, 6:21:23)  
A group of young black males entered the property and stole garden chairs.  

What’s with the chairs?

Northdene, Main Road.  Theft – Business (22 July 2011, 18:42:32)   
A suspect was caught on CCTV footage shoplifting. 

Glenwood Moore Road. Theft – Business (19 July 2011, 5:40:16) 
Suspects climbed up a tree and jumped into the property. A pair of shoes, a kettle and a potato peeling machine were stolen.
 
A kettle (another kettle!) and a potato peeling machine – handy items for the local Spaza  which is doing a roaring trade in slap chips.
 

Pinetown, Crompton Street.  Theft – Business (23 July 2011, 4:14:05)
Suspects made a fire on the premises to strip copper cables. Armed response arrived and the suspects fled.  The fire was extinguished.   

Metal theft is enormous problem  that is costing us and the city millions. We can put a stop to this by reporting suspicious activity to the Telkom Hotline at 0800 124 000, the Eskom hotline at 080 011 2722 and the eThekwini Traffic Hotline at 080 131 3013.

Waterfall, Brackenhill Road. Theft – Residential (24 July 2011, 2:46:15)    
Suspects stole a grass cutter from the yard.

Sherwood, Aysgarth Avenue.  Theft - Residential  (24 July 2011, 11:11:53)
A suspect was arrested for stealing a cell phone. 

Rosehill,  May Road. Mugging – Residential ( 21 July 2011, 18:01:18) 
A black male confronted the resident outside the gate to the property. The suspect fled with a cell phone. 

Morningside, Stamfordhill Road.  Assault / Mugging – Business  (19 July 2011, 8:26:43) 
A former employee assaulted the client over a wage dispute and stole a cell phone. 

Moseley Park, Saddle Road.  Trespassing / Assault – Residential  (22 July 2011, 10:47:40)
Suspects jumped over the fence into the yard and smashed a window at the back of the premises. The resident who was in the yard cleaning the pool heard and noise and went to investigate. The suspects assaulted the resident before fleeing.

An extremely cowardly act on the part of these criminals as this resident is an elderly gentleman, and our sympathies go out to him and his family. Folks, do yourselves a favour and invest in strip beams which you can arm while you're outside, and a panic alarm which you can wear around your neck to protect you?  Both the strip beams and panic alarms will set off the siren - scaring the sods away - and alert us that you need help.  

New Germany, Blair Atholl Road.  Trespassing – Residential (23 July 2011, 10:10:55) 
The resident pressed the panic alarm when he noticed suspects on the property. The suspects had entered the complex through a hole in the fence. 

SUCCESSES
Queensburgh, Windham Avenue. Attempted Theft of a Motor Vehicle  - Residential (20 July 2011, 2:52:31)
The residents were alerted by the car tracking company that the battery to their vehicle had been cut. Blue Security responded to the panic alarm within minutes and the SAPS arrested one suspect.
 
This is a very interesting story about the modus operandi of criminals. Click here to read the full story. Be on the look out for suspicious people in your neighbourhood, day or night, and report suspicious activity to the SAPS Crime Stop at 08600 10111.
 
Clare Estate, Wandsbeck Road.  Housebreaking – Business (22 July 2011, 6:45:05)  
Suspects broke into the property in the early hours of the morning and hid a safe and TV in the yard. The suspects returned to collect the goods and were chased by a security guard. One suspect was arrested by the SAPS. 

Durban, Old Fort Road. Trespassing – Business (22 July 2011, 2:36:39)   
A suspect jumped over the fence and entered the property. The SAPS took the suspect into custody.

Attempted housebreaking where nothing appeared to be stolen:
Berea, Vause Road  (24 July 2011, 19:37:08) 
Clare Estate, Wandsbeck Road (22 July 2011, 2:01:08)
Congella, Sydney Road  (22 July 2011, 7:24:21) 
Crestview, Hillford Road  (20 July 2011, 6:34:46) 
Gillitts, Neville Road (20 July 2011, 2:35:12)  
Gillitts, Sandra Place (21 July 2011, 8:47:27) 
Glen Anil, Donald Road (24 July 2011, 17:46:23) 
Glenwood,  Clarke Road  (19 July 2011,  5:51:24) 
Glenwood, Manning Road (22 July 2011, 10:10:21)
Glenwood, Sycamore Road (22 July 2011, 8:30:09) 
Hillcrest, Homestead Avenue (20 July 2011, 17:57:17
Isipingo , Wattle Road (24 July 2011, 19:28:25) 
Kloof, Umzwilili Road (22 July 2011, 2:54:04)        
New Germany,  Berkshire Drive  (22 July 2011, 3:29:40)
Redhill,Conyham Avenue (24 July 2011, 14:07:21)
Sunningdale, Sunningdale (22 July 2011, 5:27:36 ) 
Westville,  Northdene Road ( 23 July 2011, 2:57:43) 
Wyebank, Marigold Road (19 July 2011,  17:14:34) 
Yellowwood Park, Starling Avenue (22 July 2011, 11:18:49)