BLUE ALERT FOR ALL AREAS FOR THE WEEK PRECEDING 8 SEPTEMBER 2011

Clare Estate, Wandsbeck Road. Armed Robbery - Residential (05 September 2011, 0:03:17) 
Three suspects jumped over the front gate. One suspect who was armed with a 9mm pistol forced his way into the office area. Cash was stolen and the suspects fled on foot.

Kloof, Marievale Drive.  Armed Robbery - Business (01 September 2011, 20:34:18) 
Four armed suspects entered the premises and stole cigarettes and cash.

Although it gets a bit monotonous to keep repeating that cash and goods that are easily tradeable for cash are king among the criminal element, we do feel compelled to repeat for your and your staffs’ safety these simple rules: By enforcing strict cash limits on tills, by  limiting the amount of cash kept on your premises and by installing CCTV cameras on your premises, you will significantly reduce your risk of falling victim to opportunistic criminals. There is more than enough evidence to suggest that properly installed CCTV cameras provide very effective deterrents to opportunistic criminals, allow you to view who is coming into and leaving your premises and can provide valuable evidence in court for a conviction.

Hillcrest, Springside Road. Robbery - Residential (31 August 2011, 19:53:01)
Three suspects confronted the residents while they were in their garden. The residents ran into the house and locked themselves in a bedroom. The suspects followed and a TV, two laptops and a leaf blower were stolen. A reaction officer, the resident and a neighbour chased the suspects. The suspects hit the neighbour over the head with the TV, and escaped with the laptops and leaf blower.

Doesn’t this type of situation make your blood boil? A situation where innocent residents who are enjoying family time together are confronted by  dangerous criminals intent on getting the better of them while their guard is down? Unfortunately, this type of situation where criminals surprise residents on their properties is becoming all too common-place.   We advise residents to wear a wear a panic alarm around your neck while you’re outdoors and to install Perimeter Intruder Detection beams and electric fencing around the perimeter of your property. Both the beams and electric fencing provide the ideal 1st level of protection against intruders.

Carrington Heights, Pitcaine Road. Theft of a Motor Vehicle - Residential  (03 September 2011, 17:33:07) 
A red VW Golf, registration number ND 613552 was stolen from the premises.

In the past weeks the police have issued a number of warnings to residents that motor vehicle theft is on the increase. Vehicles parked on pavements are at particular risk. Where possible park your car and visitors’ cars inside your property and close driveway gates.  Again, Perimeter Intruder Detection beams and dogs will alert you to unwanted intruders on your property.

La Lucia, Millhaven Place. Gatecrashing - Residential (03 September 2011, 18:52:02) 
Suspects forced open the driveway gates and the front door. An LCD screen and a jewellery box containing jewellery were stolen.   

Hillcrest, Loop Road. Gatecrashing- Residential (31 August 2011, 9:26:55) 
Suspects forced open the driveway gate and entered the premises. The front door was forced open and a laptop, digital camera, linen and a kettle were stolen. 

Heaven’s alive, another kettle!  Well, the City has been beating its chest about revenue lost through illegal electrical connections, so possibly the criminal element has a special offer going on the installation of illegal electrical connections and second-hand kettles. Just a thought.

Hillcrest, Cliff Road. Gatecrashing - Residential (31 August 2011, 9:47:43)
Suspects derailed the driveway gates and forced open the security gate and kitchen door. A laptop and a TV were stolen. 

The practice of gatecrashing seems to be gathering momentum once again. A detection device such as a strip beam installed across the driveway gate or an industrial magnetic contact linked to the alarm will trigger the siren and alert armed response if criminals try and force open your gate. 

Foresthills,  Dukele Road. Housebreaking - Residential  (02 September 2011, 11:49:45)  
Suspects broke the glass of two French doors and entered the premises. A flat screen TV was stolen.

Malvern, Pinedale Road. Housebreaking - Residential (02 September 2011, 13:32:03) 
The resident's son arrived home to find that the premises had been broken into. Suspects attempted to enter the premises through a bedroom window but the burglar guard remained secure. The suspects then forced open the front door and entered the premises. A laptop and jewellery were stolen.    

Westriding, Lesley Road. Housebreaking - Residential (03 September 2011, 13:19:40) 
Suspects entered the premises through a window and a laptop was stolen.
   
Everton, Valerie Road. Housebreaking - Residential (03 September 2011, 17:46:05) 
Suspects forced open the front door and entered the premises. Three plasma screen TVs, two laptops and jewellery were stolen.

Amanzimtoti, Adams Road. Housebreaking - Residential (04 September 2011, 2:21:22)  
Suspects entered the house through an open bathroom window. A handbag containing money and credit cards and three cell phones were stolen.

Ag, nee! Another open window = another crime committed. Come on people, you can leave your favourite windows open, but please secure them properly.  If you are on a budget and can’t afford top of the range burglar guards on all windows at least install good quality burglar guards on windows that you regularly  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.  Take a look at our Facebook page at the type of burglar guards NOT to install.

Prestondale, Trema Road.  Housebreaking - Residential (03 September 2011, 2:47:52) 
Suspects removed the glass on a front window and entered the premises. A plasma screen TV was stolen.  

Morningside, Valley View Road. Housebreaking - Residential  (06 September 2011, 3:20:44)  
Suspects cut the lock on the security gate and forced open a door. A laptop was stolen.

Pinetown, Blenheim Road. Housebreaking - Business (01 September 2011, 11:03:12)
Suspects broke into a school library by forcing open an unsecured upper level window and two computers and a hi-fi were stolen.   

You’d better believe these guys can climb. This week Berea SAPS issued a warning to residents living in high rise building not to believe they were immune from housebreakings because they lived on upper floors. The police recommended that residents grease their drainpipes to stop criminals from climbing up them. Desperate times call for desperate measures.

Westmead, Gillitts Road. Housebreaking - Business  (02 September 2011, 7:50:36)  
Suspects broke a window at the back of the premises and scrap metal was stolen.

Springfield, Intersite Avenue. Housebreaking - Business  (02 September 2011, 7:54:27) 
Suspects cut the electric fence and entered the premises through the roof. The suspects ransacked the premises and five computers were stolen.

Briardene, North Coast Road. Housebreaking - Business (02 September 2011, 11:13:53)  
Suspects cut the lock on the front gate and forced open a roller shutter door. A stainless steel cooling system was stripped and carried away by the suspects in pieces. 

Rossburgh, Edwin Swales Drive. Housebreaking - Business  (04 September 2011, 19:33:35) 
Suspects broke a window and forced open the burglar guard. Three computer towers and a screen were stolen.

Berea, Springfield Road. Housebreaking – Business (04 September 2011, 5:56:21)
Suspects forced open a small unprotected window and entered the premises. Two computers were stolen.  

Glenwood, Campbell Road. Housebreaking – Business (06 June 2011, 4:48:18)  
Suspects forced open the front door and an internal door. Two computers were stolen. 

Mayville, Saxon Avenue.  Housebreaking – Business (06 September 2011, 5:44:11)  
Four suspects in a grey Honda Ballade, registration number ND 11694 forced their way into the premises. Computers were stolen.

Pinetown, Fine Lane. Theft - Residential (01 September 2011, 5:30:07)  
A suspect jumped over the wall and stole a garden chair from the court yard.  

Summerveld, Paddock Road. Theft – Residential  (05 September 2011, 6:42:16) 
The resident went for a jog and did not lock the doors of the residence as the family were on the premises. When he returned he noticed that a pedestrian gate was open. The resident checked the CCTV cameras and found that an intruder had walked into a cottage on the premises and stolen alcohol and cash.   

Security basics: How not to become a victim of crime.  Lock doors, shut windows and arm the alarm to limit your chances of becoming a victim of crime.

La Lucia, Millhaven Place. Theft - Residential  (05 September 2011, 7:20:19)
Suspects fished out a laptop and binoculars through an open window. 

Caversham Glen, Hampshire Place.  Theft – Residential  (07 September 2011, 2:36:15)   
A suspect jumped over the fence and into the yard. A pair of takkies were stolen. 

Overport, Brickfield Road. Theft - Business (02 September 2011, 8:32:51) 
A geyser and copper piping were stolen from the yard.  

New Germany, Pineside Road. Theft - Business (03 September 2011, 6:41:50)  
Suspects damaged the palisade fence and entered the premises. Scrap metal was stolen from the yard.
 
New Germany,  Freese Road. Theft - Business (04 September 2011, 14:20:53)  
Six suspects stole used batteries from the yard. 

Winston Park, Jan Smuts Avenue. Theft - Business  (04 September 2011, 17:57:24) 
A bicycle was stolen from the yard.

New Germany, Nipper Road. Theft – Business (05 September 2011, 07:04:10)
Twelve truck batteries were stolen from trucks parked in the yard.

Glenwood, Brand Road. Theft – Business (05 September 2011, 8:32:00) 
An air conditioning unit was stolen from the premises.

Escombe, Gilbert Road. Theft – Business  (06 September 2011, 15:58:45) 
Suspects jumped over fence and stole steel burglar bars. 

The seriousness of metal theft in SA grabbed news headlines recently after the Gautrain was brought to a standstill as a result of metal theft.  It’s good news that the municipality is taking a tough line on metal theft which is way out of control by investigating the bona fides of scrap metal dealers in the city and even going so far as to install alarms on power cables in areas that have been classified as “hot spots” for metal theft. You can assist in help to deal with this problem which is costing the city and us the ratepayer millions by reporting suspicious activity to Telkom Hotline at 0800 124 000, the Eskom hotline at 080 011 2722 and the eThekwini Traffic Hotline at 080 131 3013.

Durban, Windermere Road. Theft out of a Motor Vehicle - Residential (03 September 2011, 11:50:3) 
Suspects broke into the resident’s vehicle that was parked on the premises and stole a purse containing a driver's licence, an ID book and cash. 

Oi vey, and to think that all the inconvenience of replacing these items could have been avoided if only …

Assagay, Willow Way. Theft out of a Motor Vehicle – Residential  (06 September 2011, 1:41:33) 
Suspects broke the left-hand side front window of a Toyota bakkie parked on the premises. A GPS was stolen from the vehicle. While the resident was inspecting his vehicle the suspects entered the premises and a laptop, two cell phones and a wallet containing cash were stolen.

Warner Beach, Kingsway Gardens. Trespassing – Residential (05 September 2011, 6:37:00) 
A suspect jumped over the fence into the yard. The suspect fled when he saw the resident. 

SUCCESSES
Morningside, Lambert Road. Theft of a Motor Vehicle - Residential (02 September 2011, 13:04:00) 
A white Nissan bakkie, registration ND 362194 was stolen from pavement. The vehicle was recovered in KwaMashu.

Glenmore, Marshall Grove. Theft - Residential (31 August 2011, 14:37:50)   
Suspects forced open the pedestrian gate and stole a mountain bike from the yard. A suspect was apprehended in Prospect Road and the bike was recovered.

Mahogany Park, Mahogany Road. Theft - Business (04 September 2011, 12:02:19) 
Steel was stolen from the yard. The reaction officer gave chase and the suspects dropped the steel and fled.

Attempted housebreaking where nothing appears to have been stolen:
Berea, Turners Avenue (02 September 2011, 18:50:21) 
Bluff, Fowey Avenue (03 September 2011, 4:51:48) 
Briardene, North Coast Road (02 September 2011, 7:39:59) 
Clare Estate, Elf Place (02 September 2011, 16:02:33)
Durban North, Queensview Place  (05 September 2011, 10:29:00) 
Glenwood, Clark Road (03 September 2011, 14:27:09)
Glenwood, Evans Road (05 September 2011, 19:03:42) 
Hillcrest, Commange Road (02 September 2011, 12:26:53) 
Hillcrest, Emonyeni  Road (05 September 2011, 10:31:52)
Kloof, Umvemve Place (06 September 2011, 19:41:25) 
La Lucia, Davallen Avenue (07 September 2011, 1:54:55)
Morningside, Currie Road (01 September 2011, 13:07:38) 
Moseley Park, Wood Road (06 September 2011, 14:17:21)
New Germany, Berkshire Drive (06 September 2011, 11:48:03) 
Pinetown, Pastoll Road (04 September 2011, 11:54:53)
Queensburgh, Ridley Park (02 September 2011, 7:33:22) 
Springfield, Quarry Road (01 September 2011, 12:41:34) 
Yellowwood Park, Starling Avenue (05 September 2011,18:56:22)
Winkelspruit, Aruracia Road (05 September 2011,3:28:41)
Yellowwood Park, Starling Avenue (06 September 2011, 20:44:57)