BLUE ALERT # 158 FOR ALL AREAS FOR THE WEEK PRECEDING 9 AUGUST 2011

Hillcrest, Rapson Road. Armed Robbery - Residential   (4 August 2011, 11:20:40)    
Two suspects armed with a knife and a screw driver derailed the driveway gate and entered the premises. The suspects held up the resident at knife point and stole a flat screen TV and fled in a blue vehicle.
    
New Germany,  Bosse Street.  Armed Robbery - Residential (6 August 2011, 21:19:47)    
Four suspects entered the premises through the kitchen door. The suspects grabbed knives from the kitchen and held up the resident. A Nokia cell phone was stolen.    

We’ve noticed a trend towards criminals become increasingly brazen in their attacks on residential homes, often bursting in to homes in the early morning or evening or ambushing residents as they arrive or leave their properties. As brazen as criminals are becoming in their attempts to make off with your possessions, our experience is that alarm sirens and barking dog do tend to frighten them away. Be sure to use the partition function of your alarm and to arm your alarm in the areas of the house you are not occupying and to keep a panic button handy while you’re relaxing in the lounge watching TV, for example. This way you can press the panic alarm should intruders surprise you in your home – just make sure the battery of the panic alarm is charged at all times.

Kloof,  Meadow Road. Armed Robbery - Residential  (9 August 2011, 20:01:09)    
The residents and the domestic worker witnessed two suspects entering the property through the driveway gate. The suspects then entered the house through an open door.  One of the suspects hit the residents on the back with the handle of an axe before demanding valuables and jewellery. A wedding ring, gold necklace, cell phone and a handbag were stolen.

This was without doubt a very nasty encounter for these residents with some very nasty thugs. Again, folks, we don’t seem to be able to repeat this basic security rule often enough – make sure you lock doors and security gates day and night.  You really cannot be too rigorous or vigilant when it comes to security basics.

Pinetown, Henwood Road. Armed Robbery – Business  (2 August 2011, 14:55:57)
Five suspects armed with firearms entered the premises and held up the staff at gun point. Four cell phones and R15 000 in cash were stolen.    

Every business needs to be aware that it is a potential target for robbery.  Security gates on slam locks should be installed in high traffic areas and cash should banked regularly but not necessarily at the same time throughout the day. Properly installed and positioned CCTV cameras are an effective deterrent and also provide invaluable footage that helps you to keep track of the comings and goings on your premises and provide evidence that is admissible in court.

New Germany,  Glamis Road. Hijacking - Residential (9 August 2011, 17:53:18)        
As the resident pulled into his driveway he was approached by six black males armed with firearms.  The suspects ordered the resident out of his vehicle and drove away in his blue 2008 Peugeot, registration number NU:118339.

Unfortunately, this was a determined posse of car thieves by their sheer number and the fact that they were armed with firearms. We’d like residents to be aware there has been a reported increase in hijackings across the Durban area. While no security measure is fail-safe, we urge you to be aware of your surroundings when you arrive at or leave your property, to trim back shrubs and trees that may be obscuring your driveway and to load Cell Force on you cell phone. When activated Cell Force will send a discreet signal to our Control Room notifying us that you are in an emergency situation and we will be able to send help to you.

Kloof, Alamein Road.  Gatecrashing - Residential   (6 August 2011, 13:29:25)  
Suspects forced open the driveway gate and the front door. Two 32" plasma screen TVs were stolen.    

Durban North, Oxford Drive. Gatecrashing- Residential  (6 August 2011, 17:49:38)   
Suspects forced open the driveway gate and the security gate and front door. A plasma screen TV, and two laptops were stolen.      

New Germany, Daphne Neil Road. Housebreaking - Residential  (2 August 2011, 13:02:23)        
Suspects forced open the kitchen window and entered the house.  Jewellery was stolen.  

Athlone Park,  Everglade Road.  Housebreaking - Residential  (4 August 2011, 10:28:15)    
Suspects forced open the security gate and front door. A laptop was stolen from the premises.  

Malvern , Chester Road.  Housebreaking - Residential  (4 August 2011, 13:24:39)    
Suspects forced open a security gate and door. A plasma screen TV was stolen.  

Malvern, Dipdale Road. Housebreaking - Residential  (4 August 2011, 16:02:02)    
Suspects forced open a window and pushed in the burglar guard. Jewellery was stolen.

Pinetown, Lytton Crescent. Housebreaking - Residential  (4 August 2011, 19:50:41)    
Suspects forced open the security gate and front door. Clothing was stolen.

Briadene, Everest Road.  Housebreaking - Residential  (5 August 2011, 8:44:48)    
Suspect forced open the security gate and front door. Three flat screen TVs, two computers and two laptops were stolen.    

Avoca, Starling Road. Housebreaking - Residential   (6 August 2011, 5:17:21)
Suspects forced open the kitchen window and entered the premises. A microwave oven was stolen.

Eish, talk about deja vu  ...suspects forced open the security gate and front door… If we’ve written that line once, we’ve written it a thousand times. The moral of the story is to remember the 4 D’s of security

DETER – DETECT – DELAY – DETAIN

1)    CCTV cameras are a proven deterrent. If you cannot afford a CCTV system consider installing dummy cameras – make sure that they are positioned in such a way that a would-be thief would see them before he decides to try his luck. Also cut back bushes and trees that obscure your front door from the road – A suspect will think twice if he is visible from the road.
2)    Early detection is absolutely crucial. A magnetic contact on the front gate, perimeter beams or even an outdoor detector covering the front door would trigger the alarm before the suspects attempted to break in – odds are that he’ll beat a hasty retreat if the alarm is triggered before he is near the house.
3)    Cheap barrier security is pretty pointless. At best flimsy security gates only delay housebreakers for a few seconds. At the very least ensure that your security gates are of the best quality that you can afford and install good quality burglar guards on windows that you typically leave open (such as the bathroom or toilet). Burglar guards that screw into wooden frames provide little resistance and can be forced out pretty easily. Burglar guards should be bolted and expoxied into the concrete window surround.  
4)    Realistically an Armed Response Officer will take between 5 to 10 minutes to get to your home, if they cannot get in because of high walls, locked gates the odds of them detaining as suspect is made so much more difficult. Rather than expect these chaps to be high jumpers of Olympian standard, work with your security company to ensure that they can get to your front door without delay!

Gillitts, Edward Drive.    Housebreaking - Residential  (6 August 2011, 11:10:07)        
Suspects forced open the garage door. A backpack and a chain saw were stolen

Gillitts,     Sandra Place.  Housebreaking - Residential  (6 August 2011, 15:48:50)    
Suspects entered a cottage on the premises through an unsecured toilet window. A Plasma screen TV, DVD player and jewellery were stolen.    

New Germany, Ridge Road.  Housebreaking - Residential  (7 August 2011, 2:45:14)    
Three suspects wearing blue overalls used a ladder to climb up to an open, unsecured window. A PlayStation 3, a cell phone and a handbag containing cash, credits cards and house keys were stolen from the premises.

Ah, ha, our point has been made for us! Last week suspects broke into a business premises and stole used overalls. What, you may ask, would criminals want with used overalls? Well, as said criminals dress in overalls to move around incognito or undetected and this incident proves our point. And, as we’ve said before, ladders left in your yard are just another handy tool that aid and abet criminals in their endeavours to break into your property and steal our possessions.  By the way, we recommend that this resident waste no time changing their locks.

Manors, Park Ridge Road. Housebreaking - Residential   (9 August 2011, 18:26:35)
Suspects attempted to force open the security gate but it remained secure. The suspects then entered the premises through the roof. Copper pipes from the ceiling and curtains were stolen.      

Durban North,  Margaret Maytom. Housebreaking – Business (4 August 2011, 7:23:12)
Suspects forced open a window and entered the premises. A computer and an overhead projector were stolen.      

Rossburgh, Edwin Swales Drive.  Housebreaking – Business (6 August 2011, 16:15:31)        
Suspects broke a window and entered the premises. Two computers were stolen.  

Mariannhill, King Cetshwayo Highway. Housebreaking - Business  (8 August 2011, 10:58:18)
Suspects removed the tiles from the roof and entered the premises. Two computers, two cell phones, and a CD player were stolen.

Durban Central,  Prince Alfred Street. Housebreaking – Business (9 August 2011, 20:24:15)      
Suspects entered the premises through an open window. Two diagnostic machines were stolen.    

Manor Gardens, Archer Crescent.  Theft – Residential (8 August 2011, 5:55:27)    
Suspects jumped over the rear wall and stole a bicycle from the yard.  

Glenwood, Lytton Road. Theft – Residential (9 August 2011, 13:28:58)    
Suspects stole a red mountain bike out of the back of the resident's vehicle.    

All the better to get away from you …

Berea, Lancaster Road.  Theft out of a Motor Vehicle (5 August 2011, 8:09:13)        
Suspects broke into the resident's Toyota Tazz, registration number LFV629GP. A speaker was recovered from bush near to the residence.  

SUCCESSES  

Chatsworth, Bilberry Avenue. Housebreaking - Business (4 August 2011, 12:38:18)        
Suspects entered the premises through a skylight and stole sound cables. One suspect was apprehended on the premises and arrested by SAPS.

Assagay, Stoney Hill Lane. Theft - Residential (9 August 2011, 9:36:06)
The resident noticed a suspect riding a mountain bike that was stolen from his premises last week. The resident notified the reaction officer who managed to apprehend the suspect who was taken to the police station.

… But then again this guy who stole a bike from a resident last week was caught red handed while  blissfully cycling down the road in the exact same residential area where he’d stolen the bike. The bald face cheek!

Pinetown, Livingstone Road. Attempted Housebreaking – Business (4 August 2011, 21:56:07)
Armed reaction arrived on the premises and saw three suspects cutting the fence at the back of the premises. The suspects fled in the direction of Manors Road and the reaction officer gave chase. One suspect was apprehended in Livingstone Road.

Redhill, Lancaster Road. Attempted Housebreaking - Residential  (5 August 2011, 15:29:42)
Suspects forced open a bedroom window and pushed in the burglar guard. The resident's son and daughter were home at the time and the resident's son apprehended the suspect in the house. The suspect was arrested by the SAPS.
    
Now, here’s one gutsy young man taking on a criminal like this – then again, many of us gatvol of crime and would do the same. Still, we urge residents to be cautious and rather activate the alarm in an emergency.

Morningside, Florida Road. Attempted Theft - Business (9 August 2011, 13:05:01)
A suspect was apprehended for attempting to steal margarine. The suspect paid for the item and was released.  
      
Amanzimtoti, Seadoone Mall. Attempted Theft – Business (5 August 2011, 16:32:09)    
A black male was apprehended for attempting to steal chickens on the premises.  

Mmmmm, now here’s a use for all those stolen microwaves. A bird done in the microwave is ready to eat quickly and just as finger licken good as Kentucky or Chicken Licken.   

Attempted housebreaking where nothing appears to have been stolen:

Assagay, Dawn View Road (5 August  2011, 1:40:53)    
Chatsworth,  Bilberry Avenue (2 August 2011, 9:45:21)    
Cowies Hill,  Begonia Place (9 August 2011, 2:33:00)
Glen Anil, Sagewood Road (5 August 2011, 12:44:42)    
Glenwood, Ryde Avenue  (6 August 2011, 17:16:39)
Hillcrest, St Margaret’s Road  (9 August 2011, 14:20:09)        
Kloof, Alamein Road  (6 August 2011, 14:17:25)
Musgrave, Silverton Road (6 August 2011, 5:37:40)
New Germany, Oberreuter Street (4 August 2011, 13:35:05)
Newlands,  Donkin Road (9 August 2011, 22:07:51)
Northdene, Blundell Road (2 August 2011, 12:05:43)    
Pinetown,  Old Main Road (6 August 2011, 5:14:10)    
Queensmead, Billwood Road  (8 August 2011, 8:55:02)    
Umbilo,  Enfield Road  (2 August 2011, 17:35:38)
Westriding,  Marion Road (4 August 2011,  10:44:37)    
Winkelspruit, Winkelspruit Road (9 August 2011, 2:12:09)
Winston Park, Van Riebeck Road (5 August 2011, 15:31:02)