Students and people living in communes were there are lots of people moving around, are warned about opportunistic robbers that gets easy access to these properties.
This comes after a case of house robbery was opened at the Parkweg Police Station in Bloemfontein over the weekend.
According to the police report, two unknown males stormed into a house in Daneel Street in Universitas at around 21:30 on Friday, 3 November.
While the students were sitting around, two supects – one of them brandishing a firearm – accosted them and instructed them to lie down on the ground.
Lt Col Thabo Covane says it is alleged that a shot was fired to scare the victims. “One of the victims was also hit with the firearm on the forhead. The perpetrators then ransacked the house, robbing the victims of a laptop, two cell phones and identity documents. The suspects then fled the scene on foot.”
According to Charnel Hattingh, national marketing and communications manager at Fidelity ADT, criminals are particularly interested in students because they tend to have laptops, smart phones and other gadgets which are light and portable and easy to convert into cash.
“We are urging all students and residents living in shared accommodation to be security conscious at all times.”
She offered the following safety tips:
- Always ensure access to a property from the street is secured and locked.
- As far as possible, ensure that doors and windows are secured with burglar bars and gates, and not left open.
- Be proactive about security to prevent being a victim of crime.
- Watch for people following you. Do not use your cellphone in the street. Keep valuables like cellphones and money hidden whilst walking to and from campus and to the shops.
“Living with a number of people may offer a sense of false security, please be extra vigilant,” Hattingh warned. “Make sure you are security conscious at all times. Lock-up properly, watch that you are not being followed when you return home and set your alarms. Speak to all the residents if you are staying in a commune about the importance of security at this time. In addition, please report any suspicious individuals or behaviour to the SAPS or security companies. We need to work together to catch these gangs and bring a stop to this crime,” says Hattingh.
