How Robbers Mark Your Property - Be Aware!
We received this notice from the Community Police Forum - Cape Town Central, who verify that this is applicable to CT Central. Please take note and remain aware of your surroundings at all times.
“A STRAY cooldrink can in front of your property could be a potential marker for robbers, according to the Western Cape Provincial Police Board. The board said criminals using coded markers was a reality, and was not just urban legend.
Frequently e-mails are circulated warning of prospective robbers who put certain items outside houses to indicate whether homeowners are there or not. Police, however, said that while they were aware of the tactics, there was no evidence to prove they were being used.
But the board said it had seen cases where such items were in front of homes that had been burgled, and warned residents to make sure that their pavements were clean, urging them to remove items which could serve as markers.
An e-mail that recently started circulating says items include an upright Coke can, which means nobody is home.
A pile of stones lets robbers know that there are dogs on the property, and two big stones indicate that two elderly people live in the house.
A blue and white packet, such as a Clicks bag, tells robbers that the homeowner is an easy target and that someone inside the house is willing to help with the robbery.
A white plastic bag stuck on a fence also means that there is an easy target inside the house.
Chip packets are weighed down with items, and one pointing to the house means that the owner is at home. One facing the road means no one is at home.
A “Z” painted on a stop sign or a swastika painted on the road means houses in the street have been targeted for burglary.
The e-mail also warned that strange items in front of your home could be part of a ploy to trap you – like cardboard boxes, bricks or tree branches. Do not stop and remove them, you will be a soft target – instead phone the police or your security company.”
Guest House owners beware!
Hi Everybody
We have over the past 2 weeks experienced a spate of theft out of motor vehicles in the CBD. Upon analysis SAPS have identified that the bulk of these are guest house patrons(ie tourists) and they happen either directly outside the guest house or in a popular tourist area. It appears the guest house locations are being specifically targeted in the residential areas of the CBD. On behalf of SAPS and the CPF please pass on this information to the guest houses in your suburbs and ask them to please inform their guests upon arrival and to request guests not to leave any valuables in their vehicles, this includes GPS, Cameras, bags, clothing and shoes. They should also not be leaving anything in the boot or glove compartments.
If they have any queries they can email me directly on the address below.
Thanks
Henry
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Henry Giddy
Chairman
Community Police Forum - Cape Town Central
Mob: (082) 255 0400
Fax: (086) 593 1891
Email: henry@capetowncpf.co.za
Web: www.capetowncpf.co.za
ATM Fraud
Understanding and Preventing Home Invasion in South Africa
Read up on the key findings of research conducted by Professor Rudolph Zinn, senior lecturer in Forensic and Crime investigation at the University of South Africa. This insightful article is based on a book titled “Home Invasion: Robbers disclose what you should know”, and provides some useful tips which may just save your life!
understanding_and_preventing_home_invasion_in_sa.pdf
Read here for some crime prevention / reaction tips!