Home owners in and around Hermanus have been urged to test their residential securities, following reports of a new crime trend appearing in the area. A number of incidents have been reported where suspects gained access to homes via the roof, warns armed response company Fidelity ADT.
“From the information that is available to us, it appears that this is a new crime modus operandi that criminals are following. Any home owners that have had similar incidents or event attempted burglaries where the roof was used as an access point, must please report it to Hermanus SAPS so that we can get a more detailed picture of the state of affairs,” says Marius Boshoff, Hermanus branch manager for Fidelity ADT.
“We also recommend that people consider perimeter security measures such as electric fencing and beams in gardens, which can raise the alarm if anyone gains access to your property. Beams and sensors should also be considered for attic spaces, as a way of preventing unauthorized access when someone lifts the roof tiles to enter your home.”
Meanwhile, Boshoff also provided an update on recent arrests in and around Hermanus in which the Hermanus Public Protection (HPP) team played a part. HPP is a ratepayer funded initiative in partnership with Fidelity ADT.
Two suspects were arrested early on Saturday 31 July 2021, after HPP was alerted to an apparent intoxicated person hiding in bushes in the industrial area. The same man was again spotted by CCTV operators later when he was walking down a road, with two unidentified persons following him. HPP responded when they saw these two persons attacking the intoxicated man, arresting one of the attackers while the intoxicated person was arrested on a charge of public drunkenness.
In other incidents, says Boshoff, two suspects were arrested (on 18 July 2021) when they were found pushing a trolley with two stolen bags of cement. HPP camera operators (on 17 July 2021) observed two men mugging a pedestrian of her phone, and dispatched response officers to take the suspects into custody. In the last incident (on 10 July 2021), four more suspects were arrested after HPP officers found them loitering outside a shop. A search of their vehicle led to the discovery of several dangerous weapons.
“Well done to the HPP team for their hard work in keeping Hermanus safe,” says Boshoff.
