Newsletter/Blog


2016-10-12
CBAR- Newsflash August/September 2016


Dear valued clients,

The past few months have again shown a marked increase in criminal activity in our area of operation.

The residents in certain areas have even resorted to calling emergency meetings to try and find solutions to this increase in crime.
Devils Peak is currently experiencing the highest number of break-ins with the crowbar gangs also hitting houses in Sir George Grey Street and Buxton Avenue to mention a few in Oranjezicht.
 

The modus operandi is to break-in and be out within minutes before the armed response or SAPS arrive and these gangs are fully aware that they will trigger the alarms when forcing entry.  They rely on the speed in which they commit the act of housebreaking, to prevent being caught.

Looking at the list of items that are regularly stolen, it is evident that electronics, jewellery and small safes are targeted.
Many people believe that a small safe the size of a shoebox, which is usually bolted into the cupboard in the main bedroom for ease of use, will protect its contents from theft.  These criminals force open heavy doors and security gates, and I have seen countless homes where these small safes, which are held in place with 2 raw bolts have been pulled out the wall within a minute, if that.
 
So, investing in a bigger, heavier duty safe or using a safety deposit box for seldom used, but expensive jewellery, firearms and other documents usually kept in a small safe is a far better option.  These small safes are generally not forced open on the premises, but removed “whole” and cut open at a later stage with an angle grinder.
Also noticeable is the amount of electronic goods such as IPads, phones, expensive cameras and jewellery left in draws or visible to anyone forcing their way onto the property.
One should try for a moment to imagine 4 intruders rushing through the front door (average number of persons in crowbar hits) and what they could find and remove in 2 – 3 minutes.
 

Having all the small electronic goods in plain sight and a small safe, predictably in the main bedroom cupboard make it easier and predictable for these crowbar gangs to have such “successful scores” when breaking in.  Don’t make it easy.  It is apparent that most of these gangs are well disciplined as far as time on the premises is concerned.

Car break-ins continue and there have been a few hijackings. A recent modus operandi was where a party or social event was underway, usually at a domestic premises.  The criminals with the intent of stealing a particular motor vehicle they spot outside a property, then use the intercom to alert the residents that the car they intend to highjack is blocking another vehicle.
The owner of that particular vehicle then comes outside to move his / her car and is met with armed hijackers who then take the keys, and obviously the car.
 

Advise friends and family, especially those from overseas NOT, to leave belongings visible in vehicles parked on the street.  It is one sure way of ruining a holiday.

The number of alarm signals received by our monitoring centre has nearly doubled.  User error is the number one cause, followed by false alarms due to faulty sensors or foliage interfering with outdoor sensors.  With the south easter due to start soon, please have all foliage trimmed that could cause outdoor detection to activate.  Continuous activations from the same premises, hampers the effectiveness of the service by slowing it down due to unnecessary and repeated call-outs.

A concern for our staff at present is the uncontactability of certain clients where the premises are inaccessible due to high walls, electric fences or spikes.  If the armed response officers are unable to access the property and there are no available key-holders to provide access, then only a perimeter check can be conducted.  Please ensure that there is always a contactable key-holder on our system.  Kindly furnish us with updated key-holders via fax on 0860 151516 or via email to customerservice@cbar.co.za.  Various options to secure a key or remote are available.  Contact sales@citybowlsecurity.co.za for these options.

Having your alarm serviced before the December rush, would also be advised.  If there is a fault with one of the sensors, have a technician attend to it, rather than continuously bypassing that zone.  If an insurer requests an alarm report from CBAR after a break-in has occurred, we are able to see on our system if a zone has been bypassed and are obligated to pass this information onto the insurer.

If items are stolen from a “bypassed area” the insurer may choose not to pay out for those items due to negligence on the part of the person insured.  This is factual, based on our experience. 

Please feel free to contact the CBAR offices should you wish to arrange for a technician on 0860 151515 or email colin@citybowlsecurity.co.za.

Also be advised that CBAR is a SAIDSA accredited (South African Intruder Detection Services Association) installer, and our technicians are fully qualified to work on almost all makes of alarm systems.

 

CBAR, 24 hours a day, only minutes away!

 

Kind regards and best wishes

 

Alan Kusevitsky and the CBAR team



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