Following a spate of house robberies and break-ins in the Witbank area, Fidelity ADT has issued a warning to all homeowners to remain vigilant, particularly as we approach the end of the year.
Charnel Hattingh, Group Head of Marketing & Communications for Fidelity ADT says this week alone there have been six reported incidents. The common modus operandi is entering through the roof.
Hattingh says “In our experience we have found that security measures like electric fences, detection beams and Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) are still key deterrents to crime, as are pets. For homeowners small dogs that sleep inside the house are seen as a deterrent. How secure your neighbourhood is, is also a meaningful factor. If robbers are scouting carefully, they will view regular patrol and a strong neighbourhood watch system as a good reason to move on,” she says.
“It is equally important that domestic staff always keep security gates on doors locked – they may not hear an intruder over the noise of the vacuum or know that someone has entered the house while they are in the backyard. The alarm system must always be armed when they leave the house; even if it is only for a few minutes.”
“It is important that like any system your security is checked and maintained regularly. Please take a walk around your property and look for possible access points to your property and roof. If you suspect there are vulnerable areas, call in a security expert to help you find solutions,” she concludes.
