14/12/2023
🧑🏻‍🎄🎅FESTIVE SEASON TIPS🤶🤶🏻
With the festive season well under way and everyone getting their well deserved rest. The criminal element are starting their work season.
See below some safety tips.
It's that time of the year again we all look forward to. Even the criminal elements, sadly the incidents have already picked up in the Eastern Cape. Hi-jackings, break-ins, mugging, and drunk driving to name but a few. While many of us (not all) are getting ready to take some time off and possibly go away on holiday, let's take some basic precautions as listed below. Sadly we must never consider crime not happening to us but rather "when".
1. If you have an alarm system in your home and/or business, conduct a test of each zone. Have someone stand by the keypad and a second go through the premises, walking in front of each motion detector (PIR), and ensure a number lights up on the keypad. Then phone your alarm company and tell them you going to conduct a "panic alarm test" press the panic and confirm they receive the signal that side
2. With load shedding a reality and only getting worse, the alarm battery is not made to carry the load of the alarm as long or as regularly as designed. Now might be a good time to replace the battery or, even better, have an additional power source installed for your alarm (obtain advice from your service provider)
3. Inspect your premises and look for weak spots, easy entry points for the bad guys and install countermeasures
4. Tidy up your yard and pack away unnecessary items that can help gain entry or be stollen (ladders, tools, etc)
5. Make note of serial numbers or distinguishing marks on expensive items such as power tools, TV's, DVR, w**d eaters, generators, and phones
6. Cell phones are a big target and are being stolen every day, make note of your phone's details and link it to a g/mail or similar account (speak to an IT guru for details) to assist in tracking if stolen. Installing a "follow me" tracking capability may save you or your phone.
7. Seriously consider utilizing an emergency app for your phone.
8. If you have a tracker system on your vehicle, call your service provider and test it
9. Don't leave items lying around visible in your vehicle that a passerby can see, break in and steal. Also, don't get to your parking spot then put all the nice stuff in the boot. It's like Google for the bad guys watching you
10. Remove unnecessary cards from your wallet/ purse. Less for you to replace when they steal it.
11. If you’re going into a shopping center, pub, restaurant, or anywhere else where you can drop your wallet/purse or get pick pocketed, put the cash and/or card in a secure pocket.
12. Be VERY weary of people loitering at ATM's. If you are alone and don't feel comfortable rather walk away, if you are two or more have one stand next to you, back to the ATM and make it known you are observant. NEVER offer or accept assistance at an ATM it's very often a scam
13. When leaving a shopping center, ATM, restaurant, pub, etc, get your car keys in the palm of your hand with the longest key protruding outwards between your fingers ready to poke "s/he who asks to be POKED". Don't get to your vehicle then start looking for your keys.
14. If plunging your car key into the eye of a would-be assailant doesn't do it for you, then purchase yourself an early Christmas 🎄 present in the form of a small pepper spray and attach it to your keyring
15. To those romantics and others who just want to take a walk on the beach or on other routes, the car key and/or pepper spray can help here but common sense is better. Sadly we cannot wander off into secluded areas without becoming a target. Don't be fooled if you are big, strong, a ninja of five of you. A knife to one of your throats is very persuasive. Liaise with the local security entities and SAPS for safer areas.
16. If you love someone and want to show it before it's too late, buy him/her a pepper spray, it's a gift that keeps giving
17. Be careful of advertising your away from home on FB, not all your "friends" ARE Friends
18. Lastly - all those card numbers, passwords, serial numbers etc are no use on your phone when that gets stolen. Have a copy in your car, at home and even with a friend
Please say a prayer for our "Thin Blue Line" SAPS, Security Companies, NHW'S and other Emergency Services looking after us as they always do
I hope these tips will help you and your loved ones. May you have a very Merry Christmas and a blessed 2024
Thanks to David Phelan for writing the info,
Regards and stay safe out there, Newton park Neighbourhood Watch.
