In the past two weeks there has been an increase in the number of house break-ins in Centurion. Fidelity ADT reports that within their footprint, there have been 13 incidents of house breaking and one theft of motor vehicle.
Leon Muller, District Manager for Fidelity ADT, says “ The areas affected are Rooihuiskraal(3); The Reeds two housebreak-ins and one theft of motor vehicle; Lyttelton Manor (1); Wierda Park(1); Zwartkop(1); Highveld(1); Irene(1) and one in Die Hoewes. All of these crimes were reported mid- morning between 8:00 and 12:00 and early morning 01:00 to 04:00. There does not appear to be a specific modus operandi, but they are breaking through burglar bars, windows and doors.”
He urges resident to be extra vigilant about their security.
“The crime is mostly opportunistic, so if your perimeter is not secure, criminals are taking advantage. We have noticed that majority of the incidents, customers phoned in which means that the alarm was either not triggered, not activated or disabled. Basic security measures must be implemented to keep yourself and your family safe, whether you are home or not,” he says.
These include:
- Have proper perimeter security with a sturdy gate and lock.
- Arm your alarm whenever you leave home
- Ensure security doors are locked at all times and the keys removed
- Arm parts of the home you are not using
- Arm garden beams while you are indoors
- Keep a panic button with you at all times
- Test your alarm and panic buttons regularly
“Please also be alert when driving in the area and if you believe you are being followed don’t turn into your driveway but rather drive to your nearest police station, security boom or a place with activity. Remember to only open your gate when you are sure it is safe to do so and close it immediately after you have entered,” concludes Muller.
