Morningside, Silverton Road.  Armed Robbery - Residential (11 November 2011, 9:25:14) 
The residents were walking into their home when they were confronted by a masked suspect armed with a firearm. The suspect threatened to shoot the residents and grabbed the resident's handbag containing R10 000 in cash, credit cards and passports. The suspect fled in a silver BMW. It is believed that the suspects may have followed the residents home from a bank in Musgrave Road.

The South African Banking Risk Information Centre (SABRIC) recently warned banking customers to be aware that they are at risk of being robbed if they carry or deposit large sums of money. Try to avoid transactions that involve large sums of cash and rather use your card, cheques or electronic payments instead. Be observant of your surrounding when carrying large sums of cash, do not allow anyone to distract you and avoid conversations with strangers.

Crestview, Ridge Road. Armed Robbery - Residential (14 November 2011, 15:52:21) 
One suspect armed with a knife jumped over the fence and confronted the domestic worker who was in the yard hanging up clothes. The domestic worker was locked in a bedroom and the suspects ransacked the house. Two flat screen TVs, a DVD player, a digital camera, a video camera and house keys were stolen. 

Homes in the outer west tend to be on large plots which means that residents are often far apart and isolated from one another.  If you live in a remote area or your home is isolated,  good perimeter security  and early detection, such as strip beams, magnetic locks on gates, and electric fencing are essential. These will act to deter and limit the intruders’ opportunity to get onto your property and act as an early warning system for you, giving you time before the intruders get up to your home to press the panic alarm and summon for help.

Westville, Beaconsfield Avenue. Armed Robbery - Residential (14 November 2011, 8:52:51)
A suspect entered the house through an unlocked door. The suspect was armed with a knife and threatened the domestic worker. The domestic worker screamed and the suspect fled with a laptop bag.
 
A panic button alarm worn around the neck can be pressed in emergency situations like these or you can opt to load ICE – which stands for In Case of Emergency – on to your family’s cell phones, including the cell phone of your domestic worker.   ICE is an emergency panic system that allows you to use your cell phone to raise a panic alarm without having to speak or activate a siren.  This means that an emergency panic alarm will be received by our control room and a Blue Security armed reaction officer will be sent to your default address.   

Durban Central, Anton Lembede Street. Armed Robbery - Business (12 November 2011, 18:03:52) 
A suspect armed with a firearm held up a cashier. Cash was stolen from the till.

Sherwood, Westriding Road. Armed Robbery - Business (12 November 2011, 19:26:31)   
Two suspects entered the premises and threatened the staff with knives. The suspects fled with PlayStation consoles. 

Glenashley, Braemar Road. Theft of a Motor Vehicle - Residential (09 November 2011, 8:57:37)
Suspects derailed the driveway gate and entered the premises. A white VW Jetta, registration number BGL 506 NC was stolen from the yard.  

Kloof, Ronalds Road. Gatecrashing - Residential (12 November 2011, 12:32:29)  
Suspects derailed the driveway gate and forced open the security gate and front door. A laptop was stolen.  

Forest Hills, Sylvan Crescent.  Gatecrashing - Residential (12 November 2011, 14:01:25) 
Suspects forced open the driveway gate and entered the premises. The security gate and front door were forced open and two plasma screen TVs and a computer were stolen.

Mariannhill, Arndt Street.  Gatecrashing - Residential  (15 November 2011, 11:02:54) 
Suspects forced open the driveway gate and the security gate and front door. A TV was stolen. 

A MAGENTIC LOCK on your gate and BEAMS placed across the front of the gate = LESS CHANCE of becoming a  VICTIM OF GATECRASHING and  housebreaking.

Westville, Mottramdale Road. Housebreaking - Residential (11 November 2011, 8:59:07)
Suspects forced open the door to an outbuilding and entered the premises. An extension cord, two-plate stove, a toaster, an electric frying pan and an axe were stolen. 

We have an axe to grind:  doors to outbuilding should be solid core or metal and fitted with good quality barrier security and the outbuilding should be linked to the alarm system.  Locks and bolts are only as good as the doors they are fitted to and weak or rotten woodwork must replaced, and the door frame sturdy and well fixed.

St Winifreds, St Boniface Maze. Housebreaking - Residential (11 November 2011, 11:41:08)  
Suspects forced open a lounge window and entered the premises. A TV was stolen.

Mariannhill, Fleischer Road. Housebreaking - Residential  (11 November 2011, 12:28:37)
Suspects broke a dining room window and pushed in the burglar guard. A plasma screen TV was stolen.

Morningside, Currie Road.  Housebreaking - Residential  (11 November 2011, 21:06:40) 
Suspects entered the premises through a shared pedestrian gate and forced open the garage door. Chairs were stolen.

Glenwood, Glenwood Drive. Housebreaking - Residential (12 November 2011, 2:44:15)   
A suspect placed two bins on top of one another and climbed through a window above the front door. A laptop, clothing and shoes were stolen.

This opportunist saw his chance and he took it. Windows above door may be tiny but these guys have an amazing ability to squeeze through small space. All windows should also be protected with good quality barrier security. Affix the burglar guard with an 8mm bolt right through the wooden window frame.  For cosmetic (and increased security) purposes the head of the bolt should be counter sunk into the window frame and the nut should be rounded off with a file or angle grinder and coated in epoxy. 

Forest Hills, Epping Crescent. Housebreaking - Residential  (12 November 2011,10:06:56)
Suspects entered the property through an unlocked driveway gate and entered a cottage currently being renovated. A TV, a Hi-Fi system and other valuables packed in boxes were stolen. 

Another opportunist who just “happened” to know that the cottage on the premises was not linked to the alarm system. It makes sense that your home is more at risk of being broken into when builders are on the premises, and while it is not possible to install an alarm system while construction work is in progress, valuables should be removed from the premises.

Glenwood, Clark Road. Housebreaking - Residential  (14 November 2011, 9:47:50) 
A suspect forced open a storeroom door and stole a bag containing plastic bottles.   

OMG? What on earth could a criminal do with plastic bottles?   

Bellair, Cliffview Road. Housebreaking - Residential  (14 November 2011, 16:16:10)
Suspects entered an outbuilding and stole cash and clothing. 

Amanzimtoti, Valley View Road.  Housebreaking - Residential  (15 November 2011, 18:10:04)
Suspects forced open the garage door and stole a grass cutter. 

Gillitts, Starling Place. Housebreaking - Residential  (16 November 2011, 3:28:36)
Suspects forced open a window and pushed in the burglar guard. A laptop and a cell phone were stolen.  

Umbilo, Umbilo Road. Housebreaking - Business (09 November 2011, 19:48:51)   
Suspects broke a glass door and entered the premises. Three pairs of boots were stolen. 

Common criminal tip #52, You spend a lot of time on your feet so foot wear is very important. Don’t worry about buying shoes; just remember to always be on the lookout for good quality footwear while doing your rounds.

Westmead, Mahogany Road.  Housebreaking – Business (16 November 2011, 1:15:45)
Suspects cut a hole in the wire mesh fence and entered the property. A door was forced open and two drills were stolen. 

Westriding, Leslie Road. Theft - Residential (09 November 2011, 8:19:00)
Clothing was stolen from the property.

Pinetown, Pastol Road. Theft - Residential  (12 November 2011, 15:27:10) 
Suspects stole copper water pipes off the walls of the premises.    

New Germany , Harborth Road.  Theft – Residential  (15 November 2011, 8:03:49)  
A table was stolen from a caravan. 

Berea, Essenwood Road. Theft out of a Motor Vehicle – Residential  (15 November 2011, 11:02:04 )
Suspects broke through a palisade fence and broke into a bakkie parked on the premises.

Morningside, Innes Road. Theft out of a Motor Vehicle - Business (11 November 2011, 12:22:26)  
A resident parked his vehicle in the parking lot and on return to his vehicle noticed that it had been unlocked. A laptop and a sports bag were stolen from the vehicle. There was no sign of forced entry.

Most vehicle crime is preventable. It takes a few seconds for a thief to steal something from your car. If at all possible, leave nothing on view and never leave wallets, bags or laptops in the cab of your car.

Morningside, Woodford Grove. Theft out of a Motor Vehicle - Business (14 November 2011, 22:49:59) 
Suspects cut a hole in the fence and entered the yard. The suspects broke a window of a VW Golf parked on the premises and stole and amplifier.  

Glenwood, Clark Road. Vandalism - Residential (10 November 2011, 1:14:19)
Suspects broke the arm of a driveway gate and fled.

Manor Gardens, Eland Road. Vandalism – Residential  (10 November 2011, 2:44:56)
Suspects broke the arm of a driveway gate and fled.

Vandalism, or a Gatecrashing incident that the suspects weren’t able to go through with?

SUCCESSES

Kloof, Coghill Avenue.  Armed Robbery - Residential (12 November 2011, 21:11:28) 
Six suspects armed with firearms entered the premises through an open door. About 30 guests, including children were in the house at the time. The suspects demanded that everyone lie face down on the floor and then forced everyone into a room on the second storey. The suspects ransacked the entire house and then and stole a wallet, a handbag containing cash, jewellery, diamonds, a cell phone and a white Volvo registration number NU 44984 were stolen. All six suspects were apprehended by the SAPS as their movements were tracked via a Blackberry cell phone that was fitted with tracking device.

New Germany, Sandhurst Avenue. Housebreaking - Residential (09 November 2011, 12:05:53) 
Suspects pushed in burglar guards and entered the house. Stolen goods were recovered at the back of the premises and two suspects hiding in the bush at the back of the house were apprehended. 

Berea, Ridge Road.  Attempted Housebreaking - Residential (11 November 2011, 21:12:20) 

A suspect was apprehended and arrested attempting to open the front door to the premises. 

Morningside, Innes Road. (12 November 2011, 11:28:58)   
A suspect was arrested for attempting to open the resident's Land Rover. A remote and a set of car keys were found in the suspect’s possession.  

Manor Gardens, Rif Road. Theft  - Residential (16 November 2011, 3:13:48)   
A suspect stole a toolbox from the garage. The suspect fled and dropped the toolbox which was returned to the resident.   

Attempted housebreaking where nothing appears to have been stolen:
Berea, Kinnord Mews Place  (12 November 2011, 21:57:42)
Chatsworth, Klaarwater Road (09 November 2011, 11:19:03)
Effingham, Avoca Road (14 November 2011, 15:45:58) 
Forest Hills, Dukele Place, (12 November 2011, 13:15:43)
Forest Hills, Valley Drive (12 November 2011, 7:39:54)
Glenwood, Chelmsford Road (09 November 2011, 7:49:16)
New Germany, Nipper Road (14 November 2011, 21:07:27)
Sarnia, Bull Brand Road (15 November 2011, 22:31:03)
Westmead, Mahogany Road (14 November 2011, 8:26:00)