Newsletter/Blog


2017-12-12
CBAR- Quarterly Newsflash December 2017


Dear Valued Clients,

Its December yet again!  The south easter is blowing, the traffic congestion has increased and the schools and businesses are closing down after a busy 2017.  As usual, CBAR, like most security companies enter into the busiest period of the year.  It’s all hands on deck here at CBAR, with no staff taking leave over this critically busy time.

Many clients are leaving for well-deserved holidays and call upon us to be extra vigilant in watching over their homes and businesses.

Please avoid false alarms by using your alarm correctly and informing our monitoring centre on 0860-151515, should your alarm be activated erroneously, as the heavy traffic reduces the response times of our reaction fleet dramatically.

Here are a few tips to make your festive season a little safer;

Ensure that your alarm system is fully functional well before your date of departure:

Should your house be left unattended for some time with an alarm continuously activating it will definitely upset your neighbours and place a burden on the armed reaction units. Up to 99% of alarm activations are false, resulting in Armed Reaction staff continuously responding to the same alarm systems day after day, which can result in a slower reaction service. 

Test your alarm.  Contact our monitoring centre on 0860 151515, preferably in off-peak times between 9am and 4pm and advise them that you wish to test your alarm.  They will assist you with this process. Please don’t wait until your day of departure to try and arrange to book a technician.

User error.  In your absence you may have appointed a house-sitter, family member or friend to watch over or reside at your premises. They should be instructed on the correct operation of the alarm system as well as the password should the alarm be set off accidentally. (Your password can be changed at any time in writing upon your return).

Advise CBAR of your holiday plans.  Throughout the year you entrust CBAR to take care of your security needs and should therefore trust us to look after your property during your prolonged absence.  It is imperative that we are supplied with an updated list of key-holders that ARE AVAILABLE in your absence, as well as a date of departure and return.  Please ensure that you make yourself available to your key-holders should they need to contact you in an emergency that may require your attention.

Complexes and blocks of flats   CBAR has noted an increased number of incidents in residential and a few commercial complexes whereby entrance is gained due to the residents / owners failing to close security doors / gates properly behind them when entering.  Be careful not to allow unknown persons to enter with you.  These opportunistic criminals wait for someone who has a key / or access code to open up, and then simply follow them into the building to commit a crime, usually theft or a house break-in.

Access to premises: Should your premises be inaccessible due to electric fences, high walls, spiking etc. and you have a lock box containing a key/remote, or a digital keypad, please ensure our monitoring centre has the updated access code. All responsible key-holders should be in possession of these codes.

Lighting: Many people believe leaving certain lights on, whether internal or external in their absence will act as a deterrent to criminals. I firmly believe to the contrary, as it is highly unlikely that lighting, especially external, will be left on 24hours a day purposefully if the occupants are home. Have a timer installed if your intention is to use lighting as a deterrent. This should coordinate with your normal daily routine.

Advise a neighbour.  Tell your neighbour as well as your neighbourhood watch in your area that you will be away, as they might observe suspicious activity in your absence. Inform them that you are a member of CBAR and that we can be contacted in the event of a situation pertaining to the property.

Domestic staff.  They should know how to operate your alarm system or at least understand the use of the panic buttons and have access to CBAR’s emergency reaction service, either by providing them with a panic button or providing them with our emergency contact number.

Garage / outside store room alarm protection:  A number of garages / outside store rooms are being broken into.  Ensure that your garage is also alarmed, as power tools, expensive bicycles and sports goods are on the criminals shopping lists, as these are easy to dispose of. Some bicycles stolen recently were valued at over R100, 000 each.

Visible Patrols.  Our fleet of armed reaction vehicles patrol your neighbourhood 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.  They are constantly patrolling, looking for suspicious persons that may be loitering in or around your neighbourhood.  This is done as part of your monthly service, providing a visible deterrent.  Should you require a dedicated visitation at your premises, where a response officer will physically conduct a walk-around patrol, a fee of R80.00 (ExcI. VAT) levied.

Deterrent Signage: Should you require CBAR deterrent signboards, kindly notify our offices to arrange for these to be erected. These deterrent signboards indicate to our ever patrolling armed reaction staff that the premises are clients, and also warn potential intruders that they are about to enter a property that is monitored and protected by a local armed reaction company.

Outdoor foliage and beams.  This is one of the single biggest causes of false alarms.  When there are adverse weather conditions such as heavy rain and strong winds, such as we have in summer, untrimmed foliage near an outside beam may cause the alarm to activate continuously.  Please ensure that all foliage is trimmed at all times.

General awareness.  When visiting shopping centres, the beach or any other area which may be busy, ensure that valuables / bags are not left in a visible part of the car, as the amount of break-ins into cars dramatically increases over the holiday period.

Our monitoring centre has of late been receiving an influx in reported car break-ins, so please do not be careless, criminals do not know a gym bag is empty!

Lock up your premises completely and make sure that your alarm has been activated when departing. Before driving away, physically watch your garage door or sliding gate close.

Should you have any concerns or require any further advice pertaining to your security needs, please feel free to contact myself directly or any of our management team below.

 

CBAR Management team (From left to right)

Mandy Matthews (Finance & HR); Alan Kusevitsky (Managing Member); Leonie Smith (Accounts); Cyril Jilander (Operations); Valencia Smith (Control Room); Colin Smith (Technical); Shaun Kleingeld (Armed Response) 

From all at CBAR, we would like to thank you for your continued support over the past 19 years and entrusting us with the responsibility of ensuring that you and your assets are protected at all times.

We would like to take this opportunity to wish all our clients and neighbourhood watches a fantastic and safe festive season.

 

Best wishes and kind regards.

 

Alan Kusevitsky and the CBAR Team



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